77 Per Cent Voters Turnout In Bijepur Bypoll

Bargarh/ Bhubaneswar: The fate of 13 candidates was sealed in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) after byelection to Bijepur Assembly constituency in Odisha’s Bargarh district concluded on Saturday evening with a record 77 per cent of the voters exercising their democratic right.

Briefing mediapersons in Bhubaneswar, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Surendra Kumar said the percentage of voters turnout will go up further as polling was still on after the specified deadline of 5 pm.

Going by the Election Commission’s guidelines, people standing in queues at the polling booths before 5 pm will be allowed to exercise their franchise, he added.

For the first time in Odisha, Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines were used in the Bijepur bypoll. It is designed to allow voters to verify that their vote was cast correctly. “Once a voter presses the EVM button, the name of the candidate s/he has voted for is displayed on the VVPAT for seven seconds,” he pointed out.

The CEO further said no incident of violence was reported from any area of the constituency during the election.

He, however, said the headmaster of Thikipali UP School in Bheden block appointed as presiding officer of booth no-193 was suspended for allegedly persuading people to vote for a particular candidate.

“Following the allegations, he was immediately removed by the order of the Returning Officer. who appointed a new presiding officer,” he added.

Of the 281 booths, 155 booths had been identified as ‘critical’. Besides, CCTV cameras were installed in 20 booths while webcasting was done in eight. The micro observers from the Centre were in charge of 40 booths.

According to the voters’ list, there are a total of 2,21,144 voters in Bijepur Assembly constituency of which 1,15,417 are male, 1,05,713 female and 14 transgenders.

Arrangements were made to photograph and videograph the poll proceedings in each booth.

To ensure free and fair poll, elaborate security was put in place in the constituency. A total of 12 flying squads, including three for static surveillance and three for video surveillance, was formed to act immediately on any complaint of rigging and law and order.

Besides, six check posts were set up in the border areas to stop vehicles coming from entering Bijepur constituency, five platoons of CRPF and BSF jawans and 36 platoons of Odisha State Armed Police (OSAP) were deployed while one company of CRPF personnel was is in charge of guarding the EVMs and VVPAT machines. Besides, 30 Inspectors, 150 Sub Inspectors and 40 mobile parties were also pressed into service.

Specific instructions were given to the police to raid the hotels and guest houses in Bargarh district, keep a close watch on the vehicular movement between Bargarh and Chhattisgarh along the border areas, take immediate action against illegal liquor trade and money transactions and provide security to all candidates contesting the elections.

Going by the Election Commission’s notification, counting of votes and announcement of results will be made on February 28.

The election process would be completed by March 3.