Thursday, April 10, 2014

Odisha records 45 % polling for 10 LS, 70 Assembly seats

Odisha records 45 % polling for 10 LS, 70 Assembly seats

An estimated 45 per cent
voters exercised their franchise till 2:00 PM in 10 Lok Sabha
and 70 Assembly constituencies in Odisha.
A maximum of 57 per cent voters turned out in Angul
district, an official of the state Chief Electoral Officer's
(CEO) office here said.
Minimum voting of 31 per cent was recorded in Maoist-hit
Gajapati district, he said, adding the voting percentage was
32 per cent in Balangir, 36.7 per cent in Malkangiri, 38 per
cent in Bargarh, 37.4 per cent in Nabarangpur and 41 per cent
in Nuapada and Rayagada districts.
While in most of the areas affected by Maoists, who had
given a call for poll boycott, polling remained below 40 per
cent so far, voting was 52 per cent in Nayagarh, 44.4 per cent
in Koraput and 48 per cent in Sundargarh, sources said.
Maoists had earlier put up a large number of banners
and posters calling for poll boycott in several places of
Malkangiri district, SP Akhileswar Singh said, adding that
security measures were taken to ensure peaceful polling.
Barring torching of four EVMs and a vehicle in
Maoist-hit Mathili area under Chitrakonda assembly segment of
Malkangiri district, polling remained peaceful in the
constituencies located in 19 districts spread over western and
southern Odisha, they said.
Voters in Golamunda and Kelia villages under Junagarh
assembly segment in Kalahandi district boycotted the polls
alleging government apathy and neglect and lack of proper road
communication in their areas. Officials said they were trying
to persuade the villagers to cast their vote.
Prominent leaders who exercised their franchise
included state BJP President K V Singhdeo who voted in
Patnagarh where he is seeking re-election to the assembly.
Senior Congress leader and former union minister
Chandrasekhar Sahu voted in Berhampur and BJP's Dilip
Ray cast his vote in Rourkela.
The Lok Sabha constituencies where polling was being
held were Kandhamal, Koraput, Kalahandi, Bargarh, Bolangir,
Berhampur, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Aska, Nabarangpur.
It will decide the political fortunes of 98 candidates,
including former Congress chief ministers Giridhar Gamang and
Hemanand Biswal, former union ministers Jual Oram (BJP) and
Bhakta Charan Das (Congress).
Hockey star and former Indian team captain Dilip Tirkey
was contesting from Sundargarh LS seat on a BJD ticket.
He was pitted against Hemanand Biswal of Congress and Oram.
  Prominent Odia cinestar Siddhant Mohapatra was the BJD
candidate from Berhampur Lok Sabha seat.
A total 673 aspirants were contesting in 70 assembly
seats.

No comments:

Post a Comment