Bhubaneswar: The State Election Commission (SEC) stated Monday that it will be using coloured stickers on EVMs to differentiate between selections for candidates of councillor/corporator and chairman/mayor posts in the upcoming urban local body (ULB) polls. Preparations for the ULB polls are more or less complete. The ULB elections will be conducted through 456 booths in 104 municipalities and three municipal corporations. The polls are taking place after approximately three years.
The SEC stated that each booth will have two EVMs for each municipal election. One of them will be used for the electing a councillor/corporator and the other for choosing chairman/mayor.
The SEC has decided to install two separate polling booths at the voting venue. “For voters’ convenience, a pink sticker for councillor/corporator and a yellow round sticker to designate chairman/mayor will be fixed on separate EVMs. This will make it easier for voters to decide which candidate to vote for in which EVM,” said an official.
This apart, NOTA will be introduced in the ULB polls this time. The NOTA option will be available at the end of the ballot. Braille ballot papers will be available for visually-impaired voters.
The two-day EVM training programme for selected master trainers from all districts of the state has ended. The SEC has already approved ward restructuring, booth and voter list preparation for municipal elections.