Campaign ends for first phase election in Orissa

Orissadairy.com, 15th April, 2009

Report by Orissadiary correspondent; Bhubaneswar:

Campaign for the first phase of poll came to an end on Tuesday. Ten out of the 21 Lok Sabha constituencies and 70 of the 147 Assembly segments would go to polls on Thursday. The LS seats which will go to polls in the first phase are Bargarh, Sundargarh (ST), Sambalpur, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Nabarangpur (ST), Kandhamal, Aska, Berhampur and Koraput (ST). Seven LS seats are for general category while the rest are reserved for STs.Voting to be held in the 70 Assembly segments of Padamapur, Bijeur, Bargarh, Atabira (SC), Bhatli, Brajarajnagar, Jharsuguda, Talsara (ST), Sundargarh (ST), Birmitrapur (ST), Raghunathpalli (SC), Rourkela, Rajgangpur (ST), Bonai (ST), Kuchinda (ST), Rengali (SC), Sambalpur, Rairakhole, Deogarh, Chhendipada (SC), Athamallik, Birmaharajpur (SC), Sonepur, Loisinga (SC), Patnagarh, Balangir, Titlagarh, Kantabanjhi, Nuapada, Khariar, Umerkote (ST), Jharigaon (ST), Nabarangpur (ST), Dabugaon (ST), Lanjigarh (ST), Junagarh, Dharmagarh, Bhawanipatna (SC), Narla, Baliguda (ST), G Udaygiri (ST), Phulbani (ST), Kantamal, Boud, Daspalla (SC), Bhanjanagar, Polsara, Kabisuryanagar, Khallikote (SC), Chhatrapur (SC), Aska, Sorada, Sanakhemundi, Hinjli, Gopalpur, Berhampur, Digapahandi, Chikiti, Mohana, Parlakhemundi, Gunpur (ST), Bissamcuttack (ST), Raygada (ST), Laxmipur (ST), Kotpad (ST), Jeypore, Koraput (SC), Potangi (ST), Malkangiri (ST) and Chitrakonda. As per the instructions of the Election Commission of India, polling would be held from 7 to 3 pm in the Maoists affected areas including Kandhamal. The EC has appointed 35 special observers for Kandhamal areas. Special arrangements have been made to provide security to all the voters. Transport system would also be available to the voters if they wished to go to the polling centres with full security.Despite Maoists' threat, the Election Commission hopes that more than 60 per cent of people would cast their votes. Special security arrangements have been made to conduct the election in a peaceful manner.