Bhubaneswar, May 18: In order to ensure smooth conduct of general and assembly polls in Odisha, the Election Commission of India (ECI) today informed that 102 companies of central armed police forces (CAPFs) would be deployed for the second phase scheduled to be held on May 20.
Voting will be held in Aska, Bargarh, Bolangir, Kandhamal and Sundargarh Lok Sabha seats and 35 assembly constituencies falling under these parliamentary seats.
State Chief Electoral Officer Nikunja Bihari Dhal said that while 22 companies of central forces would be deployed in Maoist-affected Kandhamal district, 20 companies would be deployed in Ganjam, followed by Sundargarh (16), 14 each in Bargarh and Bolangir, five each in Jharsuguda and Boudh, four in Sonepur and two in Nayagarh.
One company of CAPF comprises around 100 personnel. So, 102 companies would amount to 10,200 personnel.
A total of 79.69 lakh voters, including 39.35 lakh women and 851 transgender persons, are eligible to exercise their franchise at 9,162 polling stations.
Out of the 9,162 polling stations, 1,541 will be model polling stations, while 1,041 will be managed by all-woman personnel while 25 will be run by PwD officials, said Dhal.
Nearly 20 per cent of the 9,162 polling stations have been identified as critical, including those in Maoist-hit areas, he said.
According to Dhal, atotal of 265 MLA and 40 MP candidates are in the fray.