Sanitise booths before bypolls: CEO to Odisha collectors

BHUBANESWAR: Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sushil Lohani has asked the collectors of Jagatsinghpur and Balasore districts to ensure sanitisation of polling stations prior to the November 3 bypolls to provide clean and hygienic environment for the polling staff as well as voters.

As per the guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI), special Covid kit consisting of mask, sanitiser, PPE, face shield and gloves is being provided to the polling personnel for their safety. Accordingly, 875 IR thermometers, 4,314 PPE kits, 6.5 lakh gloves, 7,830 face shields as well as sufficient quantity of hand sanitiser, sodium hypochlorite solutions, bleaching powder and soaps have been supplied for the purpose.

Besides, 855 vehicles of different categories will be deployed during the poll process keeping in mind the social distancing norms for safe travel of polling personnel. The collectors have been asked to take care of all polling personnel deployed on election duty to ensure their safety.

The CEO reviewed the preparedness for conducting the elections with the two collectors. In view of more number of polling booths this time, 2,768 and 2,984 polling personnel have been appointed for Balasore and Tirtol constituencies respectively including reserves. This apart, two additional personnel including one ASHA will be engaged to conduct thermal scanning of voters, dispensing sanitiser and distributing gloves to voters.