Voting under way in Odisha for LS, assembly polls (Lead)

Posted on 10th Apr 2014 03:34 pm by admin

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.

Other news

Sridevi was decorated for the last time before the last rites: while crying, her make-up was done, and it seemed that she would speak now – Rajesh do it properly

Today is the fifth death anniversary of the first female superstar Sridevi. Rajesh Patil has been

Lalu's condition critical, body movement stopped: Treatment continues at Delhi AIIMS; Tejashwi said – Fractures at 3 places, his health deteriorated due to drug overdose

Lalu Yadav's health has worsened. The late night he was admitted from Patna to AIIMS in Delhi. He

CJI said- Shut up, leave the court right now: Said- You cannot scare us, the matter of seeking listing of the petition in the Supreme Court

Chief Justice of India Justice DY Chandrachud got angry over the listing of an application in the

Left parties protest Modi's invitation to Obama

Kolkata, Jan 24 (IANS) Accusing the Narendra Modi government of compromising India's sovereignt

Bangladesh to Check Spillover of Mobile Services into India

Shillong, Jan 13 (IANS) Bangladesh officials Tuesday assured India that they would convince the

Afghan Ambassador to China gives account of embassy baggage and leaves

Afghanistan's ambassador to China, Javid Ahmad Qaim, stepped down last week after not receiving a

3.32 lakh people in the world are Killed by corona, more than 5 million infected

Beijing / Geneva / New Delhi. The global epidemic corona virus (Covid 19) has been steadily incre

Ashraf Ghani's escape ruined our entire plan: Khalilzad

Zalmay Khalilzad was made a special representative in the talks that the US had started for a pol

Does the Bangladesh government have a problem with Hindus or ISKCON, what is the matter?

The issue of the arrest of Chinmay Prabhu, associated with ISKCON in Bangladesh, has become so bi

IPL 2024: After the title win, Mitchell Starc made a big statement, and hinted at retiring from any one format.

Fast bowler Mitchell Starc, who played an important role in the victory of Kolkata Knig