Poll Date For Patkura Assembly Seat Declared

Kendrapara: The Patkura assembly seat under Kendrapara Parliamentary Constituency will go to polls on July 20, a notification issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) said on Thursday.

The counting of votes will be held on July 24, the notification added.

Notably, the ECI had cancelled the polls following the death of six-time MLA and BJD candidate Bed Prakash Agarwalla on April 20, which was earlier scheduled to be held in the fourth-phase elections in the state. The next date for polls was fixed at May 19. However, it was further deferred because of Cyclone Fani, which left behind a trail of destruction in the coastal districts of Odisha.

The polls will decide the fate of BJP leader Bijoy Mahapatra, who had unsuccessfully contested the 2014 elections from Mahakalpada. The BJD has fielded Sabitri Agarwalla, wife of late Bed Prakash Agarwalla, from the seat.