Stage Set For Repolling In 34 Booths In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Preparations for repolling in 34 booths, stopped because of EVM glitches and alleged rigging in the third and fourth phase of polls, has begun with chief electoral officer (CEO) Surendra Kumar directing district election officers (DEOs) and the collectors of 10 districts to take necessary steps at the earliest. The repoll is scheduled for May 19.

In a letter to the aforesaid officials on Tuesday, the CEO asked them to inform the contesting candidates or their election agents, in writing, of the date, time and place fixed for fresh polls and affix a notice on notice board notifying the date and hour so fixed, and to make wide publicity by beating of drums or otherwise in the polling area concerned about the place, date and hours so fixed, inform the observers and concerned returning officers of Assembly constituencies for their information and immediate necessary action.

The CEO also directed the returning officers to intimate contesting candidates in writing, well in advance, requesting them to remain present during opening of the strong room for storage of polled EVMs and VVPATs after completion of repolling. All other security protocols for storage of polled EVMs and VVPATs must be scrupulously adhered to, he said.

Besides, the “OK” messages regarding the mock poll, the commencement of polls and other statutory reports at 1pm and 7pm on the day of re-poll and 7am the day after have to be sent through e-mail to the office of the CEO, Odisha, positively.

Out of 34 booths, repolling would be conducted in 12 booths where polling was stopped in the third phase and another 22 booths where polling was stopped in the fourth phase.

The 12 booths in the third phase where repolling will be conducted are Jhajia UGME School, Baramba (196) under Badamba Assembly constituency; Khuntakata Primary School (90), Sathilo Basudevpur UGME School (100) and Rajnagar UGME School (137 and 138) under Athagarh Assembly constituency in Cuttack Lok Sabha constituency; Kamasasan-2 (222) and Gadibrahma Primary School (62) under Brahmagiri Assembly constituency and Balabhadrapur Nodal UP School (78) under Satyabadi Assembly constituency in Puri Lok Sabha constituency; Siaria Primary School (183) under Deogarh Assembly constituency in Sambalpur Lok Sabha constituency; Jandabahal (85) under Talcher Assembly constituency in Dhenkanal Lok Sabha constituency; Bholanuagaon (171) under Ghasipura Assembly constituency in Keonjhar Lok Sabha constituency and Saheed Nagar High School (127) under Bhubaneswar-Central Assembly constituency in Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha constituency.

Similarly, the 22 booths in the fourth phase where repolling will be conducted are Kalyanpur Primary  School (135) and Thalkudi Project Primary School (191) under Binjharpur Assembly constituency; Sangagadeipur Primary School (82), Govt Nodal High School (158), Brajabandhu Nodal UP School, Alipur (162 and 163) and Balibil Nodal UP School (194) under Bari Assembly constituency; Mirzapur Primary School (148) under Dharmasala Assembly constituency and Ollala Primary School (196) under Sukinda Assembly constituency in Jajpur Lok Sabha constituency; Kadarayan Urdu Primary School (East) (187 and 189) under Jaleswar Assembly constituency in Balasore Lok Sabha constituency; Kakharusole (104) under Bangiriposi Assembly constituency, Bhugudakata-1 (16), Purnachandrapur (19), Khanua-II (166) and Athapada (248) under Baripada Assembly constituency in Mayurbhanj Lok Sabha constituency; Madhusudan Jagannath Nodal Bidyapitha (57 and 58), Bhagabati Primary School, Bainchua-I (144) and Nahanga Primary School (157) under Mahanga Assembly constituency and Gunjapur-2 Primary School (87) under Salepur Assembly constituency in Kendrapara Lok Sabha constituency and Sailo UP School (39) under Paradeep Assembly constituency in Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha constituency.

Polling in all 34 booths will be held from 7am to 6pm.