Lok Sabha Polls: About 47 per cent polling reported in Odisha till 1500 hrs
Bhubaneswar, Apr 23 (UNI)Odisha recorded an overall per centage of 47 per cent polling till 1500hrs in third phase of election, Chief Electoral office(CEO) sources here said.
The highest percentge of 52.13 polling was reported from Dhenkanal Parliamentary constituencies followed by 50.82 per cent in Keonjhar, 45.24 per cent in Puri, 44.44 per cent in Sambalpur and 43.17 per cent in Cuttack.
Bhubaneswar Parliamentary constituency reported the lowest polling per cent of 36.97 per cent till 1500hrs.
But it is expected that the poll percentage will rise in next few hours.
In a very shocking incident a polling official died in Kantapal area of the Parjang Assembly Constituency today.
The Chief Electoral office sources here said no violence or untoward incident was reported from anywhere and the polling is going on peacefully so far.
Polling began on a peaceful note for six Lok Sabha and 42 Assembly seats in Odisha.
However there was resentment among the voters in certain places due to the malfunctioning of the EVM and VVPAT machines.
Though people started in long queues braving the scorching heat, they could not cast their votes due to technical snags in EVM and VVPAT machines in some polling stations.
Elaborate arrangement has been made for the smooth and incident free conduct of election by the election Commission.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik cast his vote at Aerodrome colony ME school here.
Soon after casting his vote, Patnaik told waiting newspersons that this time BJD will perform very well in the election.
Long queues of voters including women, old men and youths are seen before the polling stations eagerly waiting to cast their votes.
In some places there was resentment among the people as the polling was delayed due to problem in EVM and VVPAT machines.
Many voters were forced to return without exercising their franchise as their names did not figure in the voters list.
As many as 92,56,922 voters will decide the electoral fortune of of 417 candidates,61 of them for 6 Lok Sabha and 356 for 42 Assembly seats over 10,464 booths,3186 of which have been identified as critical booths.
A five-tier security arrangement has been made to conduct the polls in a free and fair manner in the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.
Central Armed Police forces were deployed in 600 booths, and provision has been made for web casting in 913 booths, CCTV was installed in 779 booths and arrangement has been made for videographing in 372 booths.
Chief Electoral Officer Surendra Kumar said 20,778 volunteers were deployed to help the People with Disability and 6190 vehicles were provided to bring PWD persons from their homes to booths and to drop them back.
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