Voter list in Odisha to be published on Jan 21: Election officer

Odisha Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Surendra Kumar Thursday said the final voter list for the forthcoming general elections and state Assembly polls will be published on January 21. "The process of electoral roll revision is underway and the final list will be published on January 21," Kumar told reporters here.

Earlier the voter list was supposed to be released on January 4 but now it will be published on January 21, he said. The CEO had sought an additional time period of 15 days from the Election Commission of India for the purpose, which was granted, he said. Kumar said the first-level checking of all EVMs/VVPATs will be completed by January 25. He said a special drive (mock polling) to create awareness among voters over EVMs/VVPATs will start across 147 assembly constituencies from January 7.

Kumar said training of poll officials at all levels will be completed by February 25. Stating that about 12 lakh voters have been included in the revised voter list, of which five lakh are new voters and two lakh are physically challenged, the CEO said till now, a total of 4,59,042 people have applied for inclusion of their name in the voter list. Kumar said the number of booths may increase from the present total of 37,606 polling booths in the state.

(With inputs from agencies.)