BHUBANESWAR:  The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Monday issued notification for first phase polls in the State beginning April 11. Four Lok Sabha constituencies of Berhampur, Koraput, Kalahandi and Nabarangpur as well as 28 Assembly segments will go to polls in the first phase.

As per the notification, filing of nominations commenced from Monday and will continue till March 25. Candidates can file nominations between 11 am and 3 pm on any working days during this period. Scrutiny of nomination papers of candidates will be done on March 26 and the last date of withdrawal of nomination is March 28.

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Odisha Surendra Kumar said notification for the second phase elections to five Lok Sabha and 35 Assembly constituencies will be issued on Tuesday. For the first time, elections in the State will be held in four phases. Notification for the third and fourth phase polls will be issued on March 28 and April 2 respectively. Meanwhile, on the basis of the CEO’s recommendations, the ECI has revised voting time of polling booths in Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected areas during the first phase polls. 

Voting time at polling booths in all Assembly segments under Kalahandi Parliamentary constituency will be 7 am to 4 pm. In Nabarangpur Lok Sabha constituency, voting time in all Assembly segments except Nabarangpur will be 7 am to 4 pm. Voting time of Nabarangpur Assembly segment will be 7 am to 6 pm. 
Similarly in Berhampur, polling time will be 7 am to 6 pm in all Assembly segments except Mohana where the voting time will be 7 am to 4 pm. In Koraput Lok Sabha constituency, the polling time will be 7 am to 4 pm in all Assembly segments except Jeypore where the timing will be 7 am to 6 pm. 

ECI Nodal officer (Law and order) for Odisha Sanjeeb Panda said adequate security arrangements will be put in place at polling stations in LWE-hit areas and sensitive booths across the State. Around 11,000 sensitive booths have been identified in Odisha. Security will be enhanced at these booths to ensure smooth conduct of elections, Panda added.

Four file nomination for Assembly elections
Bhubaneswar: As many as four candidates filed nomination for the ensuing Assembly polls in the first phase, notification of which was issued by the Election Commission of India on Monday. Sources said nominations were filed by one candidate each from Narla, Nabarangpur, Berhampur and Malkangiri Assembly segments on the first day. However, no nominations were filed for Lok Sabha seats on the day.