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.
The lower court on Wednesday accepted the petition declaring the Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chish
Former Indian badminton player Prakash Padukone believes that the T20 World Cup match between the
The Royal Challengers Bangalore team, who were hoping to win the trophy in the 14th season of the
Kashmir Valley happy over Modi invite to Sharif
Srinagar, May 22 (IANS) Indian Prime Minister designate Narendra Modi's invitation to Pakistan Pri
The pace of corona in the country is under control. For the second consecutive day on Tuesday, th
Don't screen 'Yennai Arindhaal', theatre warned
Chennai, Jan 28 (IANS) Udhayam Cinemas here Tuesday received a bomb threat against the release
The Central Government clearly stated on Thursday that the supply of petroleum and LPG in the cou
The T20 and ODI series between India and Sri Lanka starting later this month will start a new cha
During the rising heat, cases of water crisis have also started coming up in the capital of the c
Union Minister Smriti Irani once again held a press conference today i.e. on Wednesday, regarding