Around 69 per cent polling was recorded till 5 PM in the by-election to Brajrajnagar assembly segment in Jharsuguda district, where voting was completed peacefully with no untoward incident.
The voting for the by-poll to Brajrajnagar assembly segment in Jharsuguda district was started at 7 AM and continued till 6 PM. The polling was conducted through EVMs.
“The election was conducted peacefully. The final voters’ turnout in the by-poll will be known after polling parties returned from the booths,” said Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Sushil Kumar Lohani.
No untoward incident reported from any booth in the constituency till 5 PM. However, due to some technical glitches, four EVMs have been replaced, he said.
The assembly segment had recorded a polling of 78 per cent in 2019 general elections. The CEO expected that the voters’ turnout would surpass the figure.
Moreover, 5 pink booths have been formed where only women polling agents will be appointed, officials said.
To ensure free and fair voting, security arrangements were made in different booths for the poll while 1228 polling officers have been appointed in the booths.
The 1000 police officials and three companies of central armed forces have been deployed at different booths to maintain law and order. The voting is being carried out following Covid-19 norms with arrangements of sanitisers and thermal scanning at all polling booths. Moreover, liquor outlets have been closed for 48 hours for the election in the district.
The by-poll was necessitated following the untimely demise of BJD’s Kishore Mohanty’s in last December. There are 11 candidates in the fray, and the constituency will witness a triangular fight among BJD, BJP and Congress nominees.
The BJD fielded Alaka Mohanty as its candidate in Brajranjnagar assembly segment, while the BJP nominated former MLA Radharani Panda. Ex-assembly speaker Kishore Patel is contesting the by-election on a Congress ticket.