Jharsuguda bypoll: 9.75% voting recorded by 9 am
Polling for the Jharsuguda Assembly constituency by-election began at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, amid tight security measures, and voter turnout was 9.75% until 9 a.m.
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Bhubaneswar: Polling for the Jharsuguda Assembly constituency by-election began at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, amid tight security measures, and voter turnout was 9.75% until 9 a.m.
The voting will be open until 6 p.m.
The contest is primarily between three debutants, with the ruling BJD, the Congress, and the BJP all fielding first-time candidates - Deepali Das, daughter of sitting MLA and then Health Minister Naba Kishore Das, Tarun Pandey, son of late MLA Biren Pandey, and Tankadhar Tripathy, respectively.
To decide the fate of these candidates, 2.2 lakh electors are expected to vote in 253 booths across the constituency. To ensure a free and fair election, elaborate security arrangements have been put in place, including the deployment of over 1,800 police officers and seven companies of central armed police forces (CAPF).
In a first, webcasting will be available in all 253 booths. According to Jharsuguda SP Parmar Smit Parshottamdas, CCTV cameras and the deployment of micro-observers and central forces have been ensured in 106 critical booths, in addition to the 30 demanded by various political parties. Police are also using drones to monitor law and order situations at sensitive and cluster booths.
To help voters beat the summer heat, arrangements have been made for drinking water and sheds, as well as water sprinklers, cold drinks, and fruits at the booths, and wheelchairs and ramps for the disabled and elderly.
Tankadhar Tripathy, the party's former youth wing leader, was spotted voting this morning. On May 13, votes will be counted.
The byelection gains significance because it could be the last election before the twin elections in 2024, and a victory here could give the victorious party a psychological advantage.
Bijepur (2019), Tirtol and Balasore (November 2020), Pipili (September 2021), Brajarajnagar (June 2022), and Padampur (December 2022) were all won by the BJD, while the BJP retained Dhamnagar in November 2022.
