Odisha registers 69.34% voter turnout in 5 Lok Sabha, 35 assembly seats

BHUBANESWAR: A voter turnout of 69.34 per cent was recorded in five Lok Sabha and 35 assembly seats in Odisha where polling was held on Monday, officials said. The second round of simultaneous elections were held in Aska, Bolangir, Kandhamal, Sundargarh and Bargarh Lok Sabha constituencies and 35 assembly segments under these parliamentary seats.

Bargarh Lok Sabha constituency recorded the highest voter turnout at 76.20 per cent, followed by Bolangir at 71.46 per cent, Kandhamal at 70.37 per cent, Sundargarh at 67.74 per cent and Aska at 60.78 per cent, the officials said on Tuesday.

Among assembly seats, Bhatli in Bargarh district recorded the maximum polling at 79.23 per cent, while Hinjili in Ganjam registered the lowest at 58.21 per cent.

The voting percentage could be a little higher after the addition of postal votes, which will be opened at the counting centre on June 4, the officials said.

Barring some sporadic incidents, polling was peaceful for the five Lok Sabha constituencies and 35 assembly segments in the state, Odisha Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) N B Dhal said.

Forty candidates are in the fray in the five Lok Sabha constituencies, while 265 contestants, including Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, are trying their luck in 35 assembly segments during the second phase of simultaneous elections.

Apart from Patnaik, the prominent candidates whose fate was sealed in the EVM include six Odisha ministers, BJP's two sitting MP Sangeeta Singh Deo, Jual Oram, BJD MP Achyut Samanta, former Union Minister Dilip Ray and others.

Odisha has 21 Lok Sabha constituencies and 147 assembly seats.

Of them, polling has so far been completed for nine parliamentary seats and 63 assembly segments.

The next two phases of Lok Sabha and assembly polls in the state will be held on May 25 and June 1.