Bargarh: As many as 13 candidates filed their nominations in the byelection to Padampur Assembly constituency in Odisha’s Bargarh district on the last day.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, election officer Trilochan Patra said the candidates, who filed the nominations on the day, included those of BJD, BJP, Congress, Odisha Janata Party and Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha besides 8 Independents.
The contestants of the major parties are Barsha Singh Bariha of BJD, Pradip Purohit of BJP and Satya Bhubsan Sahu of Congress. Besides, Mukteswar Dash of Odisha Janata Party and Bidyadhar Pandav of Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha have also filed their papers.
The Independent candidates included Jayant Thapa, Brindaban Purohit, Rebati Giri, Udit Bandiya, Deb Charan Nayak, Sesadev Sahu, Debabrata Sunani and Gangadhar Saha. While Thapa was first to file nominations, he was followed by the candidates of BJD, Congress and BJP.
As per the schedule announced by the Election Commission of India, the scrutiny of the nominations will be held on Friday while the last date of withdrawing candidature is November 21.
According to Bargarh district collector Monisha Banerjee, the polling will be held in 319 booths in the constituency. Of those, 74 booths have been identified as very sensitive while 52 are sensitive. Total 6 pink booths and 10 model booths will be opened in Padampur, Jharabandh and Paikamal blocks, she said.
Total 2.55 voters will exercise their franchise in the byelection to be held on December.
The bypoll to Padampur was necessitated following the death of BJD MLA Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar on October 2.
