Pipili: Around 7.8 per cent voting was recorded in the by-election to the Pipili assembly seat in Puri district, till 9 am Thursday, Election Commission sources said.
People were seen standing in queues outside the polling booths, where markings have been drawn on the ground to enable voters to maintain social distancing.
Polling will continue till 6 pm.
The administration has deployed close to 2,000 security personnel to ensure peaceful voting in Pipili, which has a history of poll violence.
Nearly 2.30 lakh voters will decide the fate of 10 candidates, including the ruling BJD’s Rudrapratap Maharathy, Ashrit Pattnaik of the BJP and Congress nominee Bishwokeshan Harichandan Mohapatra.
The by-election was necessitated following the death of BJD MLA Pradeep Maharathy in October last year.
Votes will be counted October 3.