63% of eligible voters in Odisha have cast their ballots by 5pm.

According to officials, the voting process for the four Lok Sabha and 28 Assembly constituencies in Odisha on Monday saw a turnout of 63% among the 62.87 lakh registered voters. The voting began at 7am in the 7,303 polling stations located in the Berhampur, Koraput, Nabarangpur, and Kalahandi parliamentary constituencies, as well as the 28 Assembly segments within these areas. It is worth mentioning that the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections are being held simultaneously in Odisha.

As the clock struck 5pm, the turnout stood at 62.96%. The highest voter turnout was recorded in the Kalahandi Lok Sabha seat, which is predominantly tribal, at 67.07%. This was followed by Nabarangpur, Koraput, and Berhampur. Out of the eight districts where the simultaneous polls were being held, Nabarangpur district registered the highest turnout at 68.84%, followed by Kalahandi, Nuapada, Gajapati, Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, and Ganjam.

Officials reported that the Dabugam Assembly segment in Nabarangpur district saw the highest turnout of 71.30%, while only 47.90% of the electors cast their votes in the Berhampur Assembly seat in Ganjam district. The Chief Electoral Officer, N K Dhal, stated that there were some technical glitches with the EVM machines in certain places, but they were quickly replaced within 30 minutes.

Dhal also mentioned that there was significant voter turnout in Swabhiman Anchal, which was once a Maoist stronghold in Malkangiri district. He added, "The people of Kotia are participating in the polls very enthusiastically." However, the Election Commission did receive reports of poll boycotts in some areas due to local issues.

Among the early voters were Saptagiri Ulaka, the Congress candidate for the Koraput Lok Sabha seat, Pradeep Panigrahy, the BJP candidate for the Berhampur LS seat, Malavika Keshari Deo, the BJP candidate for the Kalahandi LS seat, Pradeep Majhi, the BJD candidate for the Nabarangpur LS seat, Balabhadra Majhi, the BJP candidate, Taraprasad Bahinipati, the Congress MLA, Bhakta Charan Das, the Congress leader, and other senior leaders. Meanwhile, a report from Ganjam district stated that two people were injured in a clash between rival groups during polling in the Chikiti assembly segment.

In response, the Election Commission suspended three polling officials and instructed the police to arrest two of them for "serious dereliction of duty." Dhal commented, "We have directed the Ganjam collector to suspend the presiding officers of three polling booths and arrest two of them for serious dereliction of duty."

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