Elections: Final phase today, heat wave, tragic incidents

Amid a deadly heat wave, Odisha witnessed tragic incidents during the final phase of polling for 42 Assembly and 6 Lok Sabha seats, with two deaths and reports of violence and cash distribution.

The last phase of polling for 42 Assembly seats and six Lok Sabha constituencies in Odisha was held today, as the state sweltered under deep heat that has claimed more than forty lives in the recent heat wave in the state. 

Voter turnout was recorded at 37 percent to 39 percent in some analyses. 64% till 1 pm across the coastal districts of Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, and Jagatsinghpur as heat and humidity forced many to leave midway due to high temperatures. Unfortunately, a polling officer named Manoranjan Sahu collapsed due to cardiac arrest while taking the first few votes at a booth in Binjharpur, whereas an old voter named Surendra Mohanty died at a polling station in Nilagiri.

The harsh conditions have affected the region majorly as Odisha witnessed heat stroke deaths of 41 people in the past 24 hours as of yesterday. Heat stress has taken a toll on over 60 people, and many have been admitted to hospitals.

However, the study showed that more than 9. The total number of voters enrolled in the electoral list was 9 million and among the 460 candidates in the fray today were BJP’s Pratap Sarangi and Baijayant Panda, BJD’s Sudam Marndi and Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Congress’ Srikant Jena and JMM’s Anjani Soren.

Cases of violence and other acts of sabotage characterized the final phase leading to the poll with reported cases of BJD and BJP workers fighting over the distribution of cash at Paradip. The BJD government of Odisha has also been accused by the BJP of plotting to assault its party workers by the sitting MLA of Paradip.

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Odisha’s historic seven-phase polling ends today: The unprecedented seven-phase poll ended on April 11 with polling in some of the constituencies. More than 70 thousand people and 126 companies of the center force had been deployed by the election authorities for a peaceful election across around 11 thousand booths in this phase.