Tirtol/Balasore: Polling for bypolls to Tirtol and Balasore Sadar constituencies has begun with strict adherence to COVID-19 guidelines.
Voting started in these two constituencies 7am Tuesday with voters slowly turning up to exercise their franchise.
This is the first election in the state after the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. Election Commission of India has made elaborate arrangements to ensure a COVID-19-free polling.
With an aim to reduce crowding in booths, the number of voters has been limited to 1000. As a result, the number of booths in Balasore Sadar has increased from 198 to 346 and that of in Tirtol constituency from 265 to 373.
In Tirtol, while as many as 2,37,282 voters are to exercise their franchise, 2,30,297 voters are to cast their votes in Balasore Sadar.
To ensure safety for polling staff and voters, the booths are being sanitised frequently. A total of around 3,500 polling personnel, around 1,600 ASHA workers and volunteers have been engaged for poll duty. They all have been screened and only healthy persons have been roped in for the duty. They all have been provided with face masks, face shields, sanitiser, gloves and PPEs.
PNN