Lok Sabha and assembly polls: Voting underway for first phase in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Voting is underway for four Lok Sabha and 28 Assembly constituencies in Odisha today.

The voting process began at 7.00 am in the first phase of polls in the state on Monday.

The four Lok Sabha constituencies are Berhampur, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, and Koraput. The 28 Assembly constituencies are coming under the Lok Sabha seats.

A total of 280 candidates are trying their luck in the first phase in Odisha.

Altogether 62,87,222 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the first phase. Of these, 30,97,527 are male voters and 31,89,060 are female voters who are exercising their franchise at 7,303 booths in the state. Several of these booths have been declared sensitive as they fall in the Maoist-infested areas of the state.

The Koraput parliamentary constituency has the least number of voters while Kalahandi has the highest number of voters. Lakshmipur Assembly constituency has the least and Dharmagarh Assembly constituency has the highest number of voters.

The Odisha police has made elaborate security arrangement in the Maoist affected areas.