11 LS candidates cannot vote for themselves

AT least 11 candidates across eight Lok Sabha constituencies in Odisha cannot cast vote in their favour. Reason:

BHUBANESWAR: AT least 11 candidates across eight Lok Sabha constituencies in Odisha cannot cast vote in their favour. Reason: They are not enrolled as voters in the constituencies they are contesting from.
The candidates include Suresh Pujari, Kharabela Swain, Baijayant Panda and Sambit Patra from BJP, Sarat Pattanayak, Navajyoti Patnaik, Satya Prakash Nayak and Panchanan Kanungo from Congress. The leaders from BJD camp are Achyuta Samanta, Anubhav Mohanty and Arup Patnaik.

A study of the affidavits filed by the candidates revealed Sambit and Arup are enrolled as voters in Timarpur (Delhi) and Varsova (Mumbai) Assembly constituencies (ACs) respectively. While Sambit is trying his luck from Puri, the former Mumbai Police Commissioner Arup is in the fray from Bhubaneswar.
Suresh, who is contesting from Bargarh, has been listed as a voter in Sambalpur AC and Kharabela,  a voter of Balasore Assembly segment, is seeking mandate from Kandhamal. Though Navajyoti and Achyuta are fighting their first electoral battle from Balasore and Kandhamal respectively, both are enrolled as electorates in Bhubaneswar-North AC.

Sarat, a voter of Titlagarh AC is contesting from Sambalpur, Anubhav, recorded as an electorate in Barabati-Cuttack AC is trying his luck from Kendrapara, which is poised for a toughest battle this time.
Similarly, Baijayant, Satya and Panchanan are voters of Bhubaneswar-Central AC and in the fray from Kendrapara, Puri and Cuttack Lok Sabha constituencies, respectively.

For contesting an election as a candidate a person must be registered as a voter in that segment. The Sec 4 (d) of Representation People Act, 1951 precludes a person from contesting unless he is an elector in any Parliamentary constituency in the country.  

“There is no issue for the candidates from contesting elections from seats outside their own constituencies. They cannot vote in their favour as they are not voters there,” said an election official.

Some popular contestants

Sambit Patra enrolled in Timarpur (Delhi) contesting from Puri
Arup Patnaik enrolled in Varsova (Mumbai) contesting from Bhubaneswar
Achyuta Samanta voter from Bhubaneswar North AC, in fray from Kandhamal
Baijayant Panda voter of Bhubaneswar-Central AC, in fray from Kendrapara

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