Bhubaneswar: In the first phase of the polling amid the Covid-19 pandemic, both Tirtol and Balasore Sadar Constituencies had witnessed less number of voters casting their votes compared to the previous polls for the same seats in 2019.
Addressing mediapersons Wednesday, Chief Electoral Officer Sushil Kumar Lohani said, “Amid Covid-19 pandemic, 70.69 per cent polling was recorded for bypoll to Balsore Assembly seat while the voter turnout in Tirtol was 69.66 per cent till 6 pm.”
“However the voter turnout for these two seats last year were 71.29 per cent (Balasore) and 74.09 per cent (Tirtol)”, added Lohani.
As many as 21 COVID-19 patients and two COVID-19 suspects in Tirtol and 23 patients and 5 COVID suspects in Balasore Sadar cast their votes in the last hour of polling, he added.
He further said, “Now that poll is over, the polled EVMs are safely stored in the strong rooms, Balasore Collectorate EVM warehouse premises and in SVM College, Jagatsinghpur duly guarded by the CAPF in the inner cordon and the State armed Police in the outer cordon. The strong rooms are under CCTV surveillance and Political parties have been allowed to watch through their representative”.
PNN