Bhubaneswar/Bhadrak: A total 52.13 per cent votes were cast till 3 pm in the Dhamnagar assembly by-poll till 3 pm on Thursday, an Election Commission official said.
Despite the strict security for the day, polling was marred by clashes between ruling BJD and opposition BJP and allegations of rigging were brought by the saffron party.
There were reports of clashes between BJD and BJP workers in polling booths 169 and 170 at Rameswarpur in the constituency while voting was on and two persons were injured.
The saffron party alleged rigging by BJD workers at booths 22 and 23 at Khalagadia.
Police at Rameswarpur said the clash occurred when workers of one party tried to put up posters inside the prohibited 100 m distance from the polling booth and was resisted by supporters of the other party.
A case was registered at the local police station on the basis of allegations of the two sides and the injured were taken to a nearby hospital, the police said.
At Kahalagadia police and sector officers have reached the spot but voting continued.
A total 1000 police personnel and four companies of central paramilitary forces (each company has 100 personnel) were deployed for the by-election.
Besides 1008 polling officers have been deployed in the constituency, whose entry and exit points have been mandatorily sealed.
Of the total 252 polling stations of the constituencies, 110 booths have been declared sensitive. There will be webcasting in 126 booths.
There are 15 model booths and five pink booths, which have women security personnel and polling officials.
A total 2.38 lakh voters – 1.23 lakh men and 1.15 lakh women – are eligible to exercise their franchise in this by-poll which will end at 6 pm Thursday.
The constituency has in the previous elections recorded around 70 per cent voter turnout. In the 2019 assembly poll 72.64 per cent of the voters exercised their franchise. The figure in 2014 was 73.46 per cent.
The counting for this edition will be held on November 6.
