The by-election for the Nuapada Assembly constituency wrapped up on Tuesday, with voters enthusiastically exercising their franchise in a peaceful atmosphere.
The democratic process concluded without any major incidents, and by 7 PM, an impressive 77.93% voter turnout had been recorded. With this, the fate of 14 candidates has been sealed in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), as confirmed by the Chief Electoral Officer.
A total of 2,53,624 registered voters participated in the election, including 1,24,108 male voters and 1,29,495 female voters. Among them were 1,786 senior citizens above 85 years of age and 9,429 young voters. Additionally, 2,988 voters with disabilities and 21 third-gender voters cast their ballots. Voting took place across 358 polling stations in the constituency.
To ensure a free and fair election, webcasting facilities were implemented in all booths. Extensive security measures were also in place to maintain peace and order, including the deployment of 14 companies of central forces and armed security personnel at sensitive polling stations. The voting process began at 7 AM and ended at 7 PM.
This by-election features a triangular contest among the major parties. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Jay Dholakia, while the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) candidate is Snehangini Chhuria. The Congress is represented by Ghasiram Majhi.
