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.
Furore in Rajya Sabha over Mufti's comments
New Delhi, March 2 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's controversia
Kyrgyz Republic: Jaishankar wishes the people of Kyrgyz Republic on their 31st Independence Day
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday greeted the government and people of the Kyrg
The market for cryptocurrencies is considered volatile and risky. Here is one moment a man reache
A sensational revelation has come to light in the Pune Porsche accident case. In this case, two d
Amidst the corona virus havoc, the US has begun to shock China. US President Donald Trump has con
On the one hand, where the stock market has been bullish for two consecutive days after a fall of
Countdown of lockdown starts, country will gallop from green zone
In the first phase of lockdown, where PM Modi gave the mantra of 'Jaan hai to jahan hai', in the
Shoaib Akhtar was humiliated by the TV host in the middle of the program, what is the whole matter
PTV is the official broadcaster of Pakistan. On Tuesday night, Shoaib Akhtar, who was the star bo
Nadda promises updated healthcare strategy
New Delhi, Feb 26 (IANS) Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda Thursday said the government is commi
Google Pixel 7 Coming Soon: Google may soon launch Pixel 6's successor Pixel 7. According to the