Around 66.63 per cent of voters exercised their franchise in the Dhamnagar Assembly by-election in Bhadrak district on Thursday when the polling time came to a close at 6 pm, according to the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The polling which began at 7 am amid tight security, remained by and large peaceful barring a few stray incidents, State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sushil Kumar Lohani said.
Stating that the voting percentage available now was tentative as a large number of voters were still in queues at many booths, Lohani said all those present at the polling stations at the time of close of voting would be allowed to cast their votes. “The final polling percentage is likely to be much higher,” he said.
In the 2019 general elections, 72.64% of the electorate had cast their votes in the constituency while it was 73.46% in 2014.
Earlier on the day, voting was delayed at booth numbers 15 and 75 due to technical glitches, sources said.
A clash between two groups of voters triggered unrest in booth numbers 169 and 170 at Rameswarpur. Two people injured in the clash were admitted to hospital. Police registered a case in this connection.
A Polling Officer engaged for booth number 139 died at the SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack. The CEO office said a compensation of Rs 15 lakh would be provided to his family.
BJP workers alleged that BJD cadres rigged two booths in the Khalagadia school under Katasahi panchayat. Police reached the spot to control the situation.
As many as 2,38,417 voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in the by-poll, of which 1,23,038 were male, 1,15,346 female and 33 transgenders.
As many as five candidates were in the fray for the by-poll. Apart from BJD’s Abanti Das, BJP’s Suryabanshi Suraj and Congress’ Baba Harekrushna Sethi, two Independent candidates Rajendra Das (BJD rebel) and Pabitra Mohan Das fought for MLA seat that fell vacant following the death of BJP MLA Bishnu Sethi.