BHUBANESWAR : Around 69 per cent of voters exercised their franchise in the second phase of polling in Odisha on Monday amid incidents of violence reported from some areas.
Polling was held in Bargarh, Sundargarh, Balangir, Kandhamal and Aska Lok Sabha constituencies and 35 Assembly seats under them.
Till midnight, Bargarh Lok Sabha constituency recorded the highest 76.20 per cent polling followed by 70.37 per cent in Kandhamal. While Balangir Lok Sabha seat witnessed 71.46 per cent polling, 67.74 per cent of voters came out to exercise their franchise in Sundargarh. The lowest polling of 60.78 per cent was witnessed in Aska constituency.
In 2019, 72.09 per cent polling was recorded in the second phase. Bargarh had recorded 78.37 per cent followed by 74.91 per cent in Balangir, 73.1 per cent in Kandhamal and 71.89 per cent in Sundargarh. Aska had recorded the lowest polling of 65.79 per cent.
Among Assembly seats, Sonepur witnessed heavy polling and recorded 81.23 per cent till last reports came in. Polling crossed 75 per cent in several Assembly constituencies like Bhatli 79.23, Jharsuguda 78.50 and Birmaharajpur 78.37.
Chief electoral officer (CEO) Nikunja Bihari Dhal told mediapersons that polling percentage is likely to increase further as people were seen waiting in long queues in several constituencies well after the polling time was over.
Tension prevailed at Sarsara village of Bargarh district after an autorickshaw driver Biswanath Mirdha was hacked to death near a polling booth. Mirdha was allegedly killed when he was waiting outside the booth after carrying some voters to the polling station. The CEO, however, said the incident was not poll-related. He said both the accused Manoj Mahananda and the victim were under the influence of alcohol and the incident was result of personal enmity. The CEO said police have formed special teams to nab the accused who fled after committing the crime. CAPF personnel have been rushed to the village, he said adding IG (Northern Range) Himanshu Lal and SP Prahlad Sahai Meena are camping at the village.
Odisha sees 69 per cent voter turnout in second phase polls
Tension also prevailed at a polling station in Bhanjanagar after BJD workers allegedly attempted booth capturing. The incident reportedly took place at a booth in Beruanbadi village under Turun area when polling was in progress.
The CEO said the presiding officer of booth number 28 of Kantamal Assembly segment was taken into custody after some outsiders entered it. Dhal said the polling process could have been stopped by pressing the stop button in the EVMs. “We were reviewing the situation through web-casting. The presiding officer was taken into custody as he did not take any such action,” he added.
Dhal said some EVMs had to be changed in places as they were found to be dysfunctional. He said 48 BUs and CUs each and 117 VVPATs had to be replaced during mock polls and also after polling started.
60% turnout in 5th phase
The fifth phase of the Lok Sabha polls on Monday registered a 59.93% voter turnout at 11 pm, slowing closing in on the 61.82% tally for the same seats in 2019. With 49 seats, the fifth phase had the fewest seats | P5