Odisha Bypolls: Voting Underway in Brajrajnagar Assembly, 11 Candidates in Fray

Around 60 polling booths have been identified as "sensitive" and at least 1,000 state police personnel and three companies of central para-military force have been deployed for smooth conduct of the polling.

Bhubaneswar:  Voting in Brajrajnagar assembly in Odisha begun from 7 am on Tuesday morning and recorded 32 percent polling by 11 am. Chief Electoral Officer, SK Lohani has said that all arrangements have been taken care of to ensure a free and fair bypoll in Brajrajnagar assembly segment in Odisha’s Jharsuguda district. Over 2.14 lakh people are eligible to exercise their franchise in 279 polling booths in the by-election which was necessitated following the demise of BJD MLA Kishore Mohanty in December last year.

Voting underway for bypoll to Brajrajnagar assembly seat #Odisha #BrajrajnagarBypoll https://t.co/xdjA3sYUSQ pic.twitter.com/qkwLwkw1Jj

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As many as 60 polling booths have been identified as “sensitive”, where additional security arrangements have been made. At least 1,000 state police personnel and three companies of central para-military force have been deployed for smooth conduct of the polling, the official said.

So far, 312 elderly people and persons with disabilities have cast their votes on ballot papers, he said, adding that live webcast arrangements have been made in 50 per cent of polling booths.

As many as 1,228 polling personnel have been engaged in Brajrajnagar. The voting will be carried out with strict adherence to Covid norms, and all the electors will be provided with sanitiser. There will be mandatory thermal screening for the voters before entering the polling booths.

There are 11 candidates in the fray but 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.

(With inputs from PTI)