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 Supreme Court today refused an urgent hearing on a petition filed regarding severe air pollut
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has made a big allegation about the corona vaccine being given
IRCTC / Indian Railways News: Railways can run 300 special trains during lockdown This is condition
The third phase of lockdown is going on across the country from May 4, which will run till May 17
Amid the Corona epidemic spreading in the country, on Thursday, the BSF arrested a Chinese citize
Obama Visit: Taj Mahal Spruced up
Agra, Jan 23 (IANS) The Taj Mahal and its surrounding areas are being spruced up ahead of US Pre
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal appeared in Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court today after not appearing o
Vivo T1 Pro will get 64 megapixel camera and these features, the company confirmed
Vivo T1 Pro 5G and Vivo T1 44W are set to hit the Indian market on May 4. Vivo T1 Pro 5G is offic
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Pakistan could not reach an agreement on a bailout pack
Oscar 2022: 'No joke is too good', Salman Khan's reaction to Will Smith's slap scandal
The controversy between Will Smith and Chris Rock at the 94th Oscar Awards ceremony remains in th
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that today technology has become an important part of life, lik
