Bhubaneswar, May 10: Voting for by-election to Odisha’s Jharsuguda Assembly constituency began on Wednesday morning amid tight security with 20.38 per cent voter turnout recorded till 11 a.m.
The voting will continue till 6 p.m.
Polling commenced at sharp 7 a.m. in all 253 booths in the constituency.
Earlier, during a mock polling, some EVMs and VVPATs were found to be defunct. So, those were immediately changed, said Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Odisha, Nikunja Bihari Dhal.
Later, the VVPATs were replaced in another two booths. Till 11 a.m., 20.38 per cent voter turnout recorded in the bypoll, he said.
“There is tremendous enthusiasm among the voters in all sections including women, senior citizens and youths. We are welcoming the senior citizens by giving them roses,” Dhal said.
Live webcasting is being done in all 253 booths. Things are very much under control and voting is going very smoothly in the constituency, the CEO informed.
A total of nine candidates, including Naba Das’s daughter Dipali Das (BJD), Tankadhar Tripathy (BJP) and Tarun Pandey (Congress), are in fray for the bypoll. All three principal political parties BJD, BJP and Congress have nominated fresh candidates for the bypoll.
As many as 2,21,719 voters — 1,10,619 males, 1,11,037 females and 63 transgenders — are expected to exercise their franchise for the by-election.
Based upon the field inputs, 116 booths have been identified as critical booths in 69 locations. Special arrangements have been made for such booths.
A total of 1,814 police personnel (including 155 police officers, 17 platoon of armed police, 323 havildars/constables and 205 home guards) and seven companies of CAPF are being deployed for the poll.
The CAPF has been deployed in 144 booths.
A total of 1,012 polling officers are deployed (4 per booth) for the bypoll. Another 96 polling officers (24 teams) have been kept reserve for deployment, if required.
The bypoll was necessitated following the murder of local MLA and ex-Minister Naba Kishore Das on January 29.
