Odisha registers 74.41 per cent voter turnout in last phase EC

PTI Updated: June 03, 2024 14:08 IST

Bhubaneswar, Jun 3 (PTI) Odisha registered a voter turnout of 74.41 per cent in the fourth round and the final phase of polling in six Lok Sabha and 42 Assembly segments held on June 1, an Election Commission official said on Monday.
    In the 2019 general elections, the state's overall polling percentage was 74.38 per cent.
    Highest polling of 76.77 per cent was registered in Balasore Lok Sabha seat followed by Mayurbhanj (75.79 pc), Jagatsinghpur (75.48 pc), Jajpur (74.47 pc), Bhadrak (73.23 pc) and Kendrapara (71.22 pc), the official said.
    Bangirpost assembly segment under Mayurbhanj LS seat recorded the highest 77.52 per cent of voter turnout while Aul Vidhan Sabha seat registered the lowest of 62.30 per cent.
    Over 99.61 lakh voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in the 10,881 polling booths in the last phase.
    The Election Commission had deployed 36,000 security personnel including 125 companies of central forces.
    The official said the state had registered 75.68 per cent of voter turnout in the first round of polling on May 13, 73.5 per cent in the second round on May 20 and 74.55 per cent on May 25.
    Meanwhile, 70 companies of CAPF will be deployed in Odisha till June 6 to maintain law and order in the post-election period, chief electoral officer N B Dhal said, adding 25 companies have been deployed to protect EVM strongrooms and counting centres.
    The decision to step up security arrangements was taken after the state witnessed sporadic incidents of post-poll violence in multiple places after completion of the last phase voting.
    The CEO office said that a two-tier security arrangement has been put in place at the strongrooms. While the first layer comprise a platoon of CAPF personnel, State Armed Police Force personnel have been mobilised outside the building.
    A record 185 companies of CAPF were deployed for the four-phase elections in the state to ensure free, fair and impartial polling.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)