Bhubaneswar: As Odisha witnessing a significant decline in daily Covid-19 cases, there will be no COVID-related restriction on campaigning for Urban Polls-2022 in the state, said SEC Aditya Prasad Padhi on Monday.
However, the decision may be revised and some restrictions might be imposed later depending upon the Covid-19 situation across Odisha, said Padhi.
More polling personnel will be engaged in the polls as there will be two EVMs in each booth– one for the election of Councillor/ Corporator and another for Chairperson/ Mayor, he said.
The election is being held in as many as 1899 wards. As many as 42 lakh voters will cast their votes in 4475 booths and decide the political fate of the contesting candidates.
The voting will be held through Electronic voting machines (EVMs). Each booth will have two EVMs, one for the post of Councillor/Corporator and another for Mayor/Chairperson.
Also, each booth will have one presiding officer and four polling officers.
More than 27 lakh voters will exercise their franchise at 3030 booths in 1731 wards of the 106 Urban Local Bodies. Similarly, polling will be held at 1407 booths in 168 wards of three municipal corporations– Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) and Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC). There are around 14.26 lakh voters in the 3 municipal corporations.
There will be NOTA option in the ULB elections for the first time in Odisha. The polling will be held on March 24 and the counting of votes and declaration of results will take place on March 26.
