Bhubaneswar: Polling for five Lok Sabha constituencies and 35 Assembly seats in Odisha is underway Monday, amid stringent security measures, officials said.
Voting started at 7am in Aska, Kandhamal, Bargarh, Bolangir and Sundargarh parliamentary constituencies along with 35 assembly segments within the jurisdiction of these Lok Sabha seats.
Over 79.69 lakh voters, including 40.33 lakh men, 39.35 lakh women and 851 transgender persons, are eligible to cast their votes at 9,162 polling stations in the five Lok Sabha constituencies and 35 Assembly seats, in the second phase of polls in Odisha.
Apart from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, major contestants whose electoral fate would be decided today include around half-a-dozen Odisha ministers, BJP’s sitting MPs Jual Oram and Sangeeta Singh Deo, BJD MP Achyuta Samanta and former Indian Hockey captain Dilip Tirkey
Lok Sabha and Assembly elections are being held simultaneously in Odisha.
Over 60% electors cast votes till 5pm
Odisha recorded 60.55 per cent voter turnout till 5pm in the polling for five Lok Sabha constituencies and 35 Assembly segments Monday, officials said.
Officials said of the five LS seats, the highest 66.14 per cent polling was recorded in Bargarh Parliamentary seat followed by Sundergarh (61.53%), Bolangir (61.35%) Kandhamal (57.46%), and Aska (55.65%).
From among the 35 assembly constituencies, Sonepur recorded 71.35 per cent voter turnout while the lowest voter turnout was recorded at Surada in Ganjam district till 5pm.
Over 48% voters exercise their franchise till 3pm
Odisha recorded 48.95 per cent voter turnout till 3pm in the polling for five Lok Sabha constituencies and 35 Assembly segments Monday, officials said.
Officials said of the five LS seats, the highest 53.88 per cent polling was recorded in Bargarh Parliamentary seat followed by Sundergarh (48.96%), Kandhanmal (48.93%), Aska (46.23%) and Bolangir (46.96%).
From among the 35 assembly constituencies, Bhatli recorded 50,68 per cent polling followed by tribal-dominated Bonai assembly (58.30 per cent), while the lowest voter turnout was 41.17 at Patnagarh in Bolangir district.
Over 35% voter turnout recorded till 1pm
Odisha recorded 35.31 per cent voter turnout till 1pm in the polling for five Lok Sabha constituencies and 35 Assembly segments Monday, officials said.
Officials said of the five LS seats, the highest 38.18 per cent polling was recorded in Bargarh Parliamentary seat followed by Sundergarh (36.32%), Kandhanmal (35.09%), Aska (34.38%) and Bolangir (32.82%).
From among the 35 assembly constituencies, tribal-dominated Bonai assembly seat in Sundergharh district recorded the highest 47.20 per cent while the lowest voter turnout was 26.77 per cent at Kantabanji assembly segment in Bolangir district.
Dhal said that industrial assembly segments like Brajrajnagar and Jharsuguda also witnessed good voter turnout.
Odisha: Auto-rickshaw driver hacked to death
In Odisha, some unidentified persons allegedly hacked an auto-rickshaw driver to death near Sarsara in Bargarh district. The deceased was carrying some voters to the polling booth. While the family members claimed it was a political murder, police say personal enmity is the reason behind the crime.
EVM glitches were also reported in some places in Odisha.
21% turnout till 11am
Odisha recorded around 21 per cent voter turnout till 11 am in the polling for five Lok Sabha constituencies and 35 Assembly segments Monday, officials said.
Police said there was no report of any untoward incident in any polling booth.
Chief Electoral Officer NB Dhal said the polling was peaceful and there was no report of any untoward incident till 11 am.
Till 11 am around 21.07 per cent of the over 79.69 lakh voters have exercised their franchise, officials said.
6.99% voter turnout till 9am
Till 9 am around 6.99 per cent of the over 79.69 lakh voters have exercised their franchise, officials said.
Initial machine glitches
Officials said EVM glitches were reported from Sundargarh Lok Sabha constituency and they were addressed immediately.
CEO Dhal said 70 ballot units, 89 control units and 167 VVPATs across the state have been replaced due to glitches.
The defects in EVMs were identified during the mock poll ahead of the voting and they were replaced within 30 minutes.
Woman poll official faints
Officials said that a woman polling official fainted in a booth under Sundargarh Lok Sabha seat.
Agencies