Bhubaneswar: Polling is underway for six Lok Sabha constituencies and 42 assembly seats in Odisha amid tight security arrangements Saturday, an official said.
Voting started at 7am in Sambalpur, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Puri Lok Sabha seats along with 42 assembly segments within the jurisdiction of these Lok Sabha seats.
Polling will continue till 6pm but in certain remote and critical booths voting will conclude earlier, the official said.
More than 94.48 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in 10,581 booths in the third round of simultaneous elections in the state.
Sixty-four candidates are vying for the six Lok Sabha seats and 383 contestants for the 42 assembly segments, he added.
The prominent leaders whose fate is to be decided in this phase include Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, BJD organisational secretary and MLA Pranab Prakash Das and BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra.
Four Odisha ministers — Prafulla Mallick, RP Swain, Ashok Panda and Basanti Hembram — are also in the fray, while Leader of the Opposition in the assembly Jaynarayan Mishra, and sitting MPs Bhartruhari Mahtab and Aparajita Sarangi, are also contesting the polls.
Odisha records 59.60% voter turnout till 5pm
A voter turnout of 59.60 per cent was recorded till 5pm Saturday in six Lok Sabha constituencies and 42 assembly seats of Odisha where polling is underway in the third phase of the simultaneous elections.
Among the six Lok Sabha constituencies, Sambalpur recorded the highest voter turnout at 65.91 per cent while Bhubaneswar logged the lowest turnout at 53.54 per cent till 3pm.
Besides, Cuttack recorded a voter turnout of 54.36 per cent, Keonjhar 62.43 per cent, Puri 61.17 per cent and Dhenkanal 60.88 per cent, the EC data showed.
Over 48% voter turnout logged till 3pm
A voter turnout of 48.44 per cent was recorded till 3pm Saturday in six Lok Sabha constituencies and 42 assembly seats of Odisha where polling is underway in the third phase of the simultaneous elections.
Among the six Lok Sabha constituencies, Keonjhar recorded the highest voter turnout at 53.29 per cent while Bhubaneswar logged the lowest turnout at 42.53 per cent till 3pm.
Besides, Cuttack recorded a voter turnout of 43.52 per cent, Sambalpur 52.77 per cent, Puri 48.71 per cent and Dhenkanal 50.40 per cent, the EC data showed.
Voters express frustration over EC’s curbs on mobile phones
A large number of people expressed frustration over EC’s curbs on carrying mobile phones to polling booths. Some were even seen returning to their homes without casting their votes over restriction on using mobile phones. They alleged that there was no prior information on such restriction.
Responding to it, Dhal in a statement said, “Since mobile phones are not allowed inside the booth, people can deposit it at the voter assistance booths set up outside the booth (managed by the BLOs) and subsequently collect it after voting. All sector officers have been informed accordingly.”
Polling agent dies; elderly woman falls ill
Official sources said an elderly woman voter who fell ill at a polling booth in Bhapur area of Nayagarh assembly segment died at a hospital, while a polling agent died at a booth under Hindol assembly segment of Dhenkanal Lok Sabha seat.
Odisha logs over 35% voting turnout till 1pm
A voter turnout of 35.69 per cent was recorded till 1pm Saturday in six Lok Sabha constituencies and 42 assembly seats of Odisha where polling is underway in the third phase of the simultaneous elections.
Among the six Lok Sabha constituencies, Sambalpur recorded the highest voter turnout at 38.13 per cent while Bhubaneswar logged the lowest turnout at 33.01 per cent till 1pm.
Besides, Cuttack recorded a voter turnout of 34.40 per cent, Keonjhar 35.63 per cent, Puri 37.26 per cent and Dhenkanal 36.00 per cent, the EC data showed.
Odisha records lowest voting turnout in the country till 11am
A voter turnout of 21.30 per cent was recorded till 11am Saturday in six Lok Sabha constituencies and 42 assembly seats of Odisha where polling is underway in the third phase of the simultaneous elections.
Till 11am, Odisha recorded the lowest voter turnout as compared to five other states and two Union Territories in the country.
Among the six Lok Sabha constituencies, Dhenkanal recorded the highest voter turnout at 22.42 per cent while Cuttack logged the lowest turnout at 20.47 per cent.
Besides, Bhubaneswar recorded a voter turnout of 20.72 per cent, Keonjhar 20.89 per cent, Puri 21.51 per cent and Sambalpur 21.89 per cent, the EC data showed.
Naveen, Pandian among early voters
Till 9am, around 7.43 per cent of the over 94.48 lakh electorate exercised their franchise, officials said.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik walked to the Aerodrum Upper Primary School near his residence in Bhubaneswar to cast his vote. “We will form a stable government in the state,” he told reporters.
Gajapati Maharaj of Puri (Puri’s titular king) Divya Singh Deb also cast his vote in Puri.
Chief Secretary PK Jena and many other senior leaders including BJP national vice-president Baijayant Panda also cast their votes in different booths of Bhubaneswar.
Earlier, senior BJD leader VK Pandian also cast his vote by going to the polling booth in an auto-rickshaw.
Initial glitches resolved
Odisha’s Chief Electoral Officer NB Dhal said voting has been peaceful so far in the 10,581 polling stations, barring some reports of EVM glitches.
Dhal said so far they have replaced 116 ballot units, 125 control units and 256 VVPATs as the EVM showed glitches during the mock polls held before actual voting started.
Polling begins amid tight security
Polling began Saturday morning for six Lok Sabha constituencies and 42 assembly seats in Odisha amid tight security arrangements, an official said.
A total of 35,000 security personnel and 70,000 polling personnel have been engaged in this round of twin polls in the state, he said.
DGP Arun Kumar Sarangi said special attention has been given to around 2,000 critical booths.
Agencies
