Date:02/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/02/stories/2008120253190300.htm

Other States - Orissa

Urban body elections today

Staff Reporter

All booths considered sensitive

BERHAMPUR: Security has been tightened at Phulbani and G.Udaygiri in the riot-hit Kandhamal district for urban body elections being held on Tuesday.

All the 28 booths in Phulbani municipality and the 13 in G. Udaygiri Notified Area Council (NAC) have been considered to be sensitive. Additional Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel have been deployed in these two urban areas. The administration has ordered for strict action against any person who tried to violate election norms or went for any mischief to create law and order problem during the election process.

Till Monday evening no election related untoward incident was reported from both places.

It may be noted that the State Election Commission rescheduled the election for Phulbani and G. Udaygiri urban bodies, which were earlier to be held in September, due to the communal violence in the district.

Campaign

The campaign for these two urban bodies was low key in the beginning but it picked up pace in the last week. Both the ruling BJD-BJP alliance and the opposition Congress feel the results of these polls could prove to be their show of strength in the district before the coming Assembly and Lok Sabha polls. So, the campaign had become high profile in the last week.