Odisha Records 60.55% Voter Turnout By 5 PM In 2nd Phase Of Polling

Bhubaneswar: Odisha recorded 60.55% voter turnout by 5 pm during second phase of polling in five Lok Sabha and 35 Assembly constituencies on Monday.

According to Chief Electoral Officer’s (CEO) office, Bargarh Parliamentary constituency recorded highest voter turnout of 66.14%. It was followed Sundargarh and Balangir, two other constituencies in western Odisha, with 61.53% turnout.

While Kandhamal registered 57.46% turnout, 55.65% of the voters exercised the franchise in Aska, the CEO Office said. However, the figures were tentative and may go up after final counting, it added.

By 3 pm, the state had registered 48.95% voter turnout amid stray incidents of violence. Tension prevailed at a polling booth in Bhanjanagar after BJD workers allegedly attempted booth capturing.

In another incident, an autorickshaw driver was allegedly hacked to death by armed miscreants near a polling booth in Bargarh district. The killing took place when the auto driver was carrying some voters to the polling booth.

While 40 candidates are in the fray in the five Lok Sabha seats, 265 contestants are trying theirs fortune in 35 Assembly segments during the second phase polling.