Bhadrak: Polling began Thursday morning for by-election to the Dhamnagar assembly constituency in Odisha amid tight security, officials said.
The voting began in all the 252 polling stations of the constituency in Bhadrak district at 7 am, and will continue till 6 pm, they said.
A total of 2.38 lakh voters — 1.23 lakh males and 1.15 lakh females — are eligible to exercise their franchise in this election.
The rural constituency usually records around 70 per cent voter turn out. In the 2019 assembly election, 72.64 per cent of voters cast their votes, while it was 73.46 per cent in 2014.
As many as 1,000 police personnel and four companies of central paramilitary forces have been deployed for the by-election. The entry and exit points of the constituency have been sealed.
A total of 1,008 polling officers have been deployed.
Of the total 252 polling booths, 110 have been declared sensitive, and there will be webcasting in 126 booths, officials said.
There are five candidates in the fray for the bypoll.
While the ruling BJD has fielded Abanti Das, the opposition BJP’s nominee is Suryabanshi Suraj, son of late MLA Bishnu Charan Sethi whose death on September 19 necessitated the by-election.
The Congress has fielded advocate Baba Harekrushna Sethi, while former BJD MLA Rajendra Das is in the fray as an Independent candidate. The AAP is also in the race and has fielded Anwar Sheikh.
While Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik campaigned for Das, a self-help group leader, through virtual mode, Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Bisheswar Tudu have extensively canvassed for Suraj.
There are 15 model booths and five pink booths, which have women security personnel and polling officials.
Pick-up and drop arrangements have been made available for voters with physical disabilities.
The votes will be counted November 6.