Bhadrak: A total 22.36 per cent votes were cast till 11 am in the by-poll being held in Dhamnagar assembly seat Thursday, an EC official said.
Election in the rural constituency is being held under tight security and long queues were seen in front of the polling stations even before voting began at 7 am.
“Voting is underway in all the 252 polling stations of the constituencies,” he said.
A 110 booths have been declared as sensitive and there will be webcasting in 126 booths.
Some initial EVM glitches were reported and were immediately solved, he said.
Pick-up and drop arrangements have been made available for voters with physical disabilities, the official said.
A total of 2.38 lakh voters – 1.23 lakh men and 1.15 lakh women – are eligible to exercise their franchise in this by-poll which will end at 6 pm Thursday.
A total 1,000 police personnel and four companies of central paramilitary forces have been deployed for the by-election. The entry and exit points of the constituency have been mandatorily sealed.
He said a 1,008 polling officers have been deployed in the constituency.
There are 15 model booths and five pink booths, which have women security personnel and polling officials.
The constituency has in the previous elections recorded around 70 per cent voter turnout. In the 2019 assembly poll 72.64 per cent of the voters exercised their franchise. The figure in 2014 was 73.46 per cent.
The counting for this edition will be held November 6.
The by-poll is witnessing a fight between five candidates, but eyes are trained on the contest between ruling BJD candidate Abanti Das and the party rebel-turned-Independent candidate Rajendra Das, who was not allotted a ticket in the last minute.
BJP has fielded Suryabanshi Suraj, son of former MLA Bishnu Charan Sethi, whose death on September 19 necessitated the by-election. Congress has fielded advocate Baba Harekrushna Sethi, and AAP has nominated Anwar Sheikh.
All candidates barring Sheikh cast their votes in their respective polling stations by 10 am.
Meanwhile, a polling officer identified as Natabar Munda died on Wednesday night before reaching the booth, officials said.
Munda, who works as an assistant teacher at Olanga Nodal U.P. School (ONUPS) in Bhadrak, fell sick before going to the polling booth and was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital. He was later rushed to SCB medical college hospital where he died during treatment, the official said.
State Chief Electoral Officer S K Lohani said Rs 15 lakh will be given by the EC to the bereaved family as compensation.
