Voting underway for Bijepur by-poll in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The voting is underway for the by-poll to Bijepur Assembly constituency in Odisha’s Bargarh district on Monday.

Chief Electoral Officer informed that the voter turnout in the constituency is 11 percent by 9 am.

A total of 2.32 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in 285 polling booths in the Assembly constituency.

While 129 polling stations have been identified as critical, the district administration has put in place massive arrangements to ensure smooth conduct of the voting process.

As many as 33 platoons of police force, five company CRPF, and senior police personnel have been deployed to ensure smooth and peaceful by-election.

The voters will decide the fate of five candidates in the fray.

Ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has fielded former MLA Rita Sahu while Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has nominated Sanat Gartia and the Congress has fielded Dillip Kumar Panda in the constituency.

The by-election was necessitated after Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who had won two segments in the 2019 Assembly polls, vacated Bijepur and retained Hinjili in Ganjam district.