Over 77 pc turnout in Nuapada by-poll

Bhubaneswar: Over 77 per cent of the 2.53 lakh voters exercised their franchise till 7 pm on Tuesday in the by-election to Nuapada Assembly seat, an official said. Though the by-poll’s outcome will not affect the government in the State, it holds political significance for the ruling BJP, the Opposition BJD and the Congress as it’s the first electoral contest in the State since the saffron party formed its maiden government last year.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who visited Nuapada at least six times in the run-up to the by-poll, has taken it as a prestige issue. Similarly, the election is also being seen as a test of BJD president Naveen Patnaik’s continued influence in State politics.

Polling, which began at 7 am, concluded at 5 pm across 311 booths, while voting in 47 sensitive booths ended an hour earlier, officials said. However, voters already in queues were allowed to cast their votes. A total of 358 booths were set up across the constituency.

Polling parties, along with EVMs, were airlifted by two Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters from the Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary area, identified as highly sensitive due to Maoist activity, to the district headquarters in Nuapada after voting ended. According to poll officials, 77.93 per cent exercised their franchise till 7 pm. Nuapada recorded 75.44 per cent polling in the 2024 State Assembly election.

Though there was a temporary disruption in voting at Mongarapali polling station on Khariar Road due to a technical glitch in the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), it was rectified, an official said, adding that three ballot units (BUs), three control units (CUs) and 1 VVPAT were promptly replaced. The by-poll was necessitated following the death of sitting BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia on September 8. The regional party has fielded Snehangini Chhuria to retain the seat, while the BJP has nominated Jay Dholakia, son of the late legislator. The Congress, which has been out of power in the State since 2000, has fielded veteran tribal leader Ghasiram Majhi as its candidate. Ghasiram was the runner-up in the 2024 Assembly polls by securing over 50,000 votes.

Briefing reporters, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) R S Gopalan said voting was held smoothly and peacefully across the constituency, including sensitive and ‘Sakhi’ booths (managed by all women). “The polling process was being continuously monitored through CCTV, and issues were being addressed promptly from both the district and State headquarters to ensure a free, fair, and transparent by-election in Nuapada,” he said. According to the District Election Officer (DEO) Madhusudan Das, two poll officials have been suspended for failing to maintain voting secrecy. They were identified as Sandeep Kumar Swain, a school teacher working as the presiding officer at Government Upgraded High School at Biromal, and Dhananjay Mallick, also a presiding officer posted at Kuliabandh Government School.