Security tightened for fourth phase panchayat polls in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The fourth phase Panchayat election will be held in 28 districts in Odisha on Sunday.

According to the State Election Commission (SEC), except Jharsuguda and Boudh districts, the polling would be conducted in the remaining 28 districts.

A total of 50,61,974 voters would exercise their franchise to elect 1324 Panchayat Samiti members and 18,876 Ward Members in 162 Zilla Parishad (ZP) zones.

The SEC has made elaborate security arrangements at all the sensitive booths with adequate deployment of security personnel.

“The district collectors and SPs have been instructed to hold panchayat polls peacefully. To ensure no threat to the polling parties, they have been given specific instruction to provide armed police force to accompany each polling party for their arrival at their respective booths,” said State Election Commission (SEC) secretary Rabindranath Sahu.