Bhubaneswar, Dec 4 (PTI) Elaborate security arrangements have been made for free and fair voting in Odisha's Padampur Assembly segment, where hectic bypoll campaigning was undertaken by the ruling BJD, the opposition BJP and the Congress over the past few weeks.

As many as 10 candidates are in the fray for the byelection that was necessitated by BJD MLA Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha's demise in October.

Also Read | ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash | EP-21 with Prafull MBA Chai Wala Premieres on Monday at 7 … – Latest Tweet by ANI.

The bypoll assumes significance in the wake of the BJD's loss in Dhamnagar, it's first such defeat since 2009, with many in political circles claiming that the result would also indicate if electoral scales were tilting against the Naveen Patnaik-led party ahead of 2024 state elections.

The BJD has nominated from the seat the deceased MLA's daughter, Barsha, who is set to take on BJP's Pradip Purohit, a former MLA, and Congress candidate and three-time legislator Satya Bhusan Sahu, among others.

Also Read | Delhi Air Pollution: Air Quality in National Capital Turns Severe, Panel Bans Non-Essential Construction Work in Delhi-NCR.

Campaigning in Padampur turned intense as Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Bisheswar Tudu and Narendra Singh Tomar covered the length and breadth of the constituency, raising farmers' issues and the state government's alleged indifference towards them.

BJD leaders, besides going all out to counter the allegations ahead of the "prestige battle", held the BJP-led Centre responsible for the "delay in disbursal of compensation to the farmers".

Amid all the noise, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik hit the campaign trail, the first time for a by-poll since 2019, and hit out at the BJP for "shedding crocodile tears and misleading people with lies".

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) SK Lohani said all preparations are in place for the smooth conduct of the bypoll.

As many as nine companies (900 personnel) of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), along with police personnel, home guards, and 21 platoons (each comprising 30 personnel) of armed forces have been deployed in the assembly constituency, a part of which falls in the Maoist belt of the state, to prevent any untoward incident, said Lohani.

Voting will begin at 7 am on Monday and continue till 4 pm, he stated.

A total of 2,57,474 voters -- 1,29,497 males, 1,27,965 females and 12 transgenders -- will exercise their franchise at 319 booths of the constituency in Odisha's Bargarh district, he said.

"Bargarh Superintendent of Police Smith Parmar has been tasked with the responsibility of looking into the law and order situation during the byelection. Special web casting arrangements have been made in 120 booths, and 66 have been fitted with CCTVs. Ninety-one micro observers will be deployed at the booths, each of which will be having four polling personnel," Lohani said.

Seventy-nine booths have been marked 'critical', and 15 have been made ‘model booths' with facilities such as ramp, temporary shed, separate queues and drinking water.

A ban has been imposed on broadcasting of exit polls during voting on December 5, the CEO said.

Pick-up and drop arrangements have been made for voters with physical disabilities, he said, adding the entry and exit points of Padampur will remained sealed for the bypoll.

Official sources said 16,424 cases of public property misuse and 8,695 cases of defacement have been recorded.

One case of misuse of vehicle and one of violation of loud speaker norms have also been filed.

As many as 14 FIRs have been registered against various persons for violating the model code of conduct or for other crimes, the sources said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)