Bhadrak: A total 38.75 per cent voters exercised their franchise in the Dhamnagar assembly by-poll in Odisha till 1 pm Thursday, an Election Commission official said.
Despite the strict security for the day, there were reports of clashes between BJD and BJP workers in polling booths 169 and 170 at Rameswarpur in the constituency while voting was on and two persons were injured.
The local police said the clash occured when workers of one party tried to put up posters inside the prohibited 100 m distance from the polling booth and was resisted by supporters of the other party.
A case was registered at the local police station on the basis of allegations of the two sides and the injured were taken to a nearby hospital, the police said.
The EC official said voting is underway in all the 252 polling stations of the constituencies, of which 110 booths have been declared sensitive. There will be webcasting in 126 booths.
Some initial EVM glitches were reported in the morning after polling began at 7 am 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 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 1000 police personnel and four companies of central paramilitary forces (each company has 100 personnel) 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 September 19 necessitated the by-election. Congress has fielded advocate Baba Harekrushna Sethi, and AAP has nominated Anwar Sheikh.
Meanwhile, a polling officer Natabar Munda died 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.