May 25th 2024.
In Bhubaneswar, a lively city in the state of Odisha, an eventful day of voting took place. The turnout was quite impressive, with over 60.97% of registered voters exercising their democratic right to choose their representatives. However, amidst the peaceful proceedings, some unfortunate incidents occurred that marred the otherwise smooth voting process.
One such incident involved a sitting MLA and BJP candidate, Mr. Prasanta Jagadev, who was accused of breaking an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) and attacking a polling officer inside a booth. The altercation reportedly took place in the Begunia assembly segment, where Mr. Jagadev had gone to cast his own vote. The situation escalated quickly, and Mr. Jagadev and his followers were detained for their actions.
Sadly, two individuals lost their lives during the voting process - a woman polling officer in Barabati-Cuttack and a polling agent in Hindol assembly segments. Additionally, an elderly woman who fell ill while casting her vote in Nayagarh assembly seat also passed away in the hospital. These incidents were deeply unfortunate and cast a shadow over an otherwise successful day of voting.
The ruling party, BJD, also filed a complaint against Mr. Jagadev with the Chief Electoral Officer, Mr. NB Dhal. In response to the incident, Mr. Dhal stated that they have a zero-tolerance policy towards violence and will take appropriate action based on CCTV footage. The BJP, on the other hand, demanded the arrest of BJD's Chhendipada MLA, Mr. Sushant Behera, alleging that he had attacked their party workers during the voting process.
Apart from these major incidents, there were also reports of minor incidents of unrest from Brahmagiri, Athagarh, and some other places. However, the overall voting process was conducted smoothly and efficiently in the six Lok Sabha seats - Sambalpur, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, and Puri - as well as the 42 assembly segments within their jurisdiction. A total of 64 candidates were in the running for the six Lok Sabha seats, while 383 nominees competed for the 42 assembly segments.
Among the prominent candidates were Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, BJP's Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi, and the party's national spokesperson Sambit Patra. Four Odisha ministers - RP Swain, Prafulla Mallick, Basanti Hembram, and Ashok Panda - were also in the fray. Even Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik took time out of his busy schedule to walk to the Aerodrome Upper Primary School near his residence and cast his vote. He expressed confidence in forming a stable government in the state.
The day of voting also saw some heartwarming incidents, with people demonstrating their commitment and determination to vote. In Bhubaneswar, a woman on oxygen support made her way to the polling booth to cast her vote, while a 97-year-old man in Puri protested by lying down inside a booth after not finding his name on the voters' list. However, there were also instances of frustration and inconvenience due to the Election Commission's rules on carrying mobile phones to polling booths. Some voters even had to return home without casting their votes due to the restrictions. In response, Mr. Dhal clarified that people could deposit their phones at designated spots outside the booths and collect them after voting.
To ensure the safety and security of the voting process, around 35,000 security personnel, including 121 companies of central forces, were deployed at different booths. Many senior leaders, including BJP national vice-president Mr. Baijayant Panda, also exercised their right to vote in various booths in Bhubaneswar. The Chief Secretary Mr. P K Jena and DGP Mr. Arun Kumar Sarangi were also among the prominent figures who cast their votes.
All in all, despite a few unfortunate incidents, the day of voting in Odisha was a success, with a high turnout of voters and a smooth process overall. The fate of the candidates is now sealed in the EVMs, and the people of Odisha eagerly await the results.
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