Bhubaneswar/Nuapada: The nomination filing process for Odisha’s Nuapada bypoll began Monday with the issuance of a notification in this regard, even as the state’s two major political parties – the BJP and BJD – are yet to announce the names of their candidates.
The Congress has named Ghasiram Majhi as its candidate, and he is set to file nomination papers October 19, OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das said.
Odisha’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) R S Gopalan said with the issuance of the notification, the by-election process has officially started. He said the candidates can file nomination papers from Monday till October 20, and the papers will be scrutinised October 22, and the last date for withdrawal is October 24.
As per the notification, polling will take place on November 11 and counting of votes is scheduled for November 14, he said.
The CEO said that over 2.53 lakh voters will exercise their democratic rights in 358 booths, of which 56 are new ones. The number of voters in each booth will not exceed 1,200 as per the direction of the ECI.
According to the notification, the polling will be held in 47 sensitive and left-wing extremism (LWE) infested booths between 7 am to 4 pm, while the voting time in other booths will be from 7 am to 5 pm.
The CEO said that adequate force would be mobilised, keeping in view the significance of the by-election.
“We have requisitioned a chopper for the transportation of voting materials and officials to eight booths in interior and remote areas. As many as 14 companies of central armed police force would be deployed apart from the state police to ensure a peaceful election at Nuapada,” Gopalan said.
Meanwhile, the district police and personnel of the CRPF held flag march at Nuapada town to boost the confidence of the people, a senior police officer said, adding that nine check posts are set up in the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border to prevent the entry of any unwanted men and materials, including cash and liquor.
Check posts have also been set up at the entry point to Nuapada from neighbouring Kalahandi, Bolangir and Bargarh districts.
The by-poll in the Nuapada Assembly segment was necessitated after the demise of sitting Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLA Rajendra Dholakia, a former minister and four-time legislator, who died on September 8, 2025, at the age of 68.
In the 2024 Assembly elections, Dholakia had retained the seat with a margin of over 10,000 votes, defeating Independent candidate Ghasiram Majhi, who this time will be the Congress candidate.
This will be the first by-election in Odisha after the BJP formed the government in the state.
Rajendra Dholakia’s son Jay, who was tipped to become a the BJD candidate on Saturday, joined the ruling BJP. However, Jay’s name was yet to be officially announced as the BJP candidate.
“The BJP’s parliamentary party will announce the name of the candidate for Nuapada by-poll,” Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said.
Sources in the opposition BJD said that party president Naveen Patjnaik rushed a team of senior leaders, including vice president Debi Prasad Mishra, the party’s women wing chief Snehangini Chhuria, former minister Tukuni Sahu and others to Nuapada.
They will meet the party’s district-level leaders and will submit names of candidates for the by-poll to the BJD president. Patnaik will finally announce the name of the candidate, Mishra said.
Odisha BJP’s core committee, comprising party state president Manmohan Samal, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi and others, have held a detailed discussion on the candidate selection and sent its views to the Parliamentary Committee. The name of the BJP candidate will be announced in Delhi, sources said.
PTI
