Bhubaneswar, April 10 (IANS) Polling began on a peaceful note for 10 Lok Sabha and 70 assembly seats in Odisha, an official said.
People stood in queues outside polling centres before polling started at 7 am.
"Everywhere balloting has started. We talked to all the district collectors and police officials and from nowhere have we got any complaints so far. It has started on a peaceful note," state's Chief Electoral Officer Mona Sharma told IANS.
Over 13 million electors will cast their ballots in the first phase of polling.
There are a total of 28,880,850 voters in the state. Polling for the remaining 11 Lok Sabha seats and 77 assembly seats would be held in the second phase April 17.
Security was tight, and paramilitary personnel and police have been deployed in vulnerable areas to ensure trouble-free polling.
Defying boycott call given by Maoists, people came to exercise their franchise in the southern districts of Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Kalahandi and Kandhamal.
Prominent candidates in the first phase are Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, and two former chief ministers and senior Congress leaders, Giridhar Gomang and Hemananda Biswal.
State Revenue Minister Surya Narayan Patro, former union minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jual Oram, state BJP president K.V. Singh Deo, and Congress leader Narasingh Mishra are also in the fray.
Odisha saw intense campaigning by political heavyweights, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi, vice president Rahul Gandhi, BJP chief Rajnath Singh and prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
SS, MNS activists clash outside election office
Mumbai, April 3 (IANS) Shiv Sena and MNS activists, who are bitter political rivals, Thursday c
Modi congratulates Yoga teacher for setting world record
New Delhi, Feb 17 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday congratulated Hong Kong-based Ind
The Supreme Court on Friday gave its verdict on the stray dogs case. The apex court said that dog
Indian Railway News: Platform ticket sales stopped at Anand Vihar railway station to control crowd
After Diwali, people have started increasing at bus stands and railway stations to go to their re
In the PCS-J Main Examination-2022, not one but 50 candidates' copies were changed. After the dis
The number of people investing in cryptocurrencies in the country continues to grow, even though
Team India won the first T20 match against West Indies by 68 runs. Chasing the target of 191 runs
Justice DY Chandrachud will be the 50th CJI of the country. CJI UU Lalit has recommended his name
Afghanistan to win World Cup: New Zealand Robot
Canterbury (New Zealand), Feb 10 (IANS) A robot here has predicted that Afghanistan will win the
Voting for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections will be held on eight seats on April 19 from 7
