The counting of votes for the Nuapada Assembly by-election began at 8 am on Friday at the Nuapada National College counting centre, which has been secured with a three-tier security system. Election officials confirmed that 26 rounds of counting will be conducted, with 14 counting tables set up to process results from 358 polling booths.
The by-election witnessed a high voter turnout of over 83%, one of the highest recorded in the region. A total of 14 candidates are in the fray, though the contest is primarily triangular between the BJP, BJD, and Congress.
Jay Dholakia Maintains Early Lead
As per the latest updates:
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After the first round, BJP candidate Jay Dholakia took an early lead.
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After the second round, his margin increased to 10,436 votes.
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By the fifth round, Dholakia further extended his lead to 25,195 votes, ahead of Independent candidate Lochan Kumar Majhi and Bhubanbal Sahu.
With 21 rounds still remaining, the final result is yet to be determined.
Security and Administration
District Election Officer and Nuapada Collector Madhusudan Dash confirmed that counting is being conducted smoothly. Trained personnel, CCTV surveillance and layered security have been ensuring a fair and transparent process.
Political Reactions
Just before counting began, the BJD raised concerns over the polling process, questioning reported 91% turnout in 41 booths and alleging misuse of administrative machinery by the ruling BJP.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders described the bypoll as a significant test for the newly formed state government. Party spokesperson Satyabrata Panda said the strong turnout of women voters reflects confidence in the government’s Subhadra Scheme and its policies for inclusive development.
Background
The Nuapada by-election was necessitated following the death of sitting MLA Rajendra Dholakia of the BJD on September 8.
According to the Election Commission’s voter turnout app, 79.41% of the 2.53 lakh registered voters cast their ballots—higher than the turnout in the 2024 Assembly polls.
More updates will follow as counting progresses.
