3rd-Round Elections: Odisha Records 59.60% Voter Turnout By 5 PM; Begunia Registers Highest 65.70%

Bhubaneswar: Odisha recorded 59.60% voter turnout till 5 pm in the third phase of dual elections in the state on Saturday.

In a press briefing in the evening, Chief Electoral Officer Nikunja Bihari Dhal said all the six Parliamentary constituencies that went to polling on the day registered a drop in voter turnout compared to 2019 elections in the state. While it was 59.60% in this election till 5 pm, the voter turnout was 71.36% till same time in 2019, he added.

Dhal said Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat registered 65.91% polling this time against 76.35% of 2019 elections. Similarly, Keonjhar registered 62.46% against 77.37%, Dhenkanal 60.88% against 74.89%, Cuttack 54.36% against 69.61%, Puri 61.17% against 72.51% and Bhubaneswar Parliamentary constituency 53.54% against 59% in the last elections.

However, the CEO said these figures are likely to change after obtaining the final count from all polling stations. “Voting is going on in a large number of booths even now. After getting the closure of polling in all booths, we will update the voter turnout figure. In the last two phases of polling held on May 13 and 20, the final turnout jumped by 10 to 20 per cent over the figure of 5 pm on polling day. So, we are expecting an increase in the figure after final count. We will be able to tell the exact end of the poll percentage tomorrow,” he added.

On being asked about possibility of repolling in any constituency, Dhal said, “No political party has approached us regarding necessity of repoll till now. There have been reports of minor violent incidents in some places. We have obtained the video footage from CCTV cameras and necessary action will be taken accordingly.”

As per the data from CEO office on voting percentage in Assembly seats, Begunia constituency recorded the highest voter turnout of 65.70%.

While 64.80% of voters turned up to cast their votes in Jayadev, Bhubaneswar-Central constituency registered the lowest turnout in the state with 44.12% polling.

Similarly, Khurda Assembly seat saw 58.12% voters exercising their franchise, while Jatni registered 52.40% turnout till 5 pm.

The third phase polling in the state began at 7 am in six Lok Sabha seats of Puri, Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar and Sambalpur, and 42 Assembly segments under these Parliamentary constituencies in the third round.

Also Read: Odisha Elections 2024: 48.44% Voter Turnout By 3 PM In 3rd Phase Amid Stray Violence, EVM Glitches