2,000 security personnel deployed for Pipili by-poll in Odisha

Micro observers were appointed besides arrangements for webcast and video recording at violence-prone booths are in place, the CEO said.Lohani said polling personnel and others associated with the election activities, who have been inoculated with two doses of Covid-19 vaccines, have left for their destination.Following the blast inside the police station, a BJP delegation led by the partys national spokesperson Sambit Patra met the CEO at his office in Bhubaneswar and demanded massive deployment of the Central force in Pipili.The electoral process is under threat.

Around 2,000 security personnel including those of the Border Security Force (BSF) have been deployed to ensure peaceful voting for the by-poll in Odisha's Pipili assembly constituency on Thursday, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S K Lohani said.

After days of peaceful campaigning in the seat, an explosion inside Balanga police station on Monday night sparked tension in the locality. The opposition BJP met the CEO demanding massive deployment of the central force in the constituency claiming that police personnel are also not secured in the area.

Of the 348 polling booths in Pipili, 201 were declared as 'sensitive' of which 102 were ‘hypersensitive. Pipili constituency has a history of witnessing political violence.

“The administration has taken all precautionary measures to conduct peaceful by-poll at Pipili. While 300 BSF jawans will stand guard at various sensitive and hypersensitive booths, the SP of Puri has formed 32 mobile police teams to roam around the constituency for maintenance of peace,” Lohani said. Micro observers were appointed besides arrangements for webcast and video recording at violence-prone booths are in place, the CEO said.

Lohani said polling personnel and others associated with the election activities, who have been inoculated with two doses of Covid-19 vaccines, have left for their destination.

Following the blast inside the police station, a BJP delegation led by the party’s national spokesperson Sambit Patra met the CEO at his office in Bhubaneswar and demanded massive deployment of the Central force in Pipili.

“The electoral process is under threat. We suspect that police were hand in glove with anti-social elements to disrupt the polling process,” said Patra who unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Puri as a BJP candidate. Pipili is part of the Puri Lok Sabha segment. While the exact reason behind the blast is yet to be ascertained, based on the preliminary inquiry the police suspect explosive materials seized earlier and stored at the “Malkhana” (store) inside the police station may have triggered the explosion.

Meanwhile, Puri Collector Samarth Verma and other officials reviewed the preparations ahead of the by-poll. “Central paramilitary forces along with locally trained police personnel are deployed in all the polling booths. Additional security forces will be deployed at vulnerable booths. Our sector officers have also been trained properly to deal with snags in EVMs which is a major cause of law and order problem,” Verma said.

Lohani said a total of 1490 polling persons have been engaged in the election process. Besides 700 additional polling persons have also been appointed to ensure Covid appropriate behaviour during the election, he said.

The CEO said that voting will be conducted adhering to COVID-19 guidelines. Arrangements have also been made for smooth voting by 3,009 persons with disabilities (PWD) in Pipili segment. “Vehicles will pick up and drop the PWDs for voting in their respective booths,” Lohani said adding that the provision of postal ballot was made for the elderly persons who are 80-years old or above, suspected Covid patients and PWDs.

He said three cases were lodged on the charge of violation of model code of conduct and four cases relating to COVID-19 guideline violation have been registered.

While the ruling BJD has fielded Rudrapratap Maharathy, the son of former MLA late Pradeep Maharathy, as its candidate, Ashrit Pattanayak is the BJP nominee and Bishwokeshan Harichandan Mohapatra the Congress candidate in the by-election. A total of 10 candidates are in the fray.

The by-election to the Pipili assembly constituency was necessitated following the death of sitting MLA Pradeep Maharathy in October last year. Votes will be counted on October 3.

Initially, the by-election was scheduled to be held on April 17. However, it was postponed following the death of Congress candidate Ajit Mangaraj due to Covid-19, just three days before the polling day.