EC suspends two polling officials for dereliction of duty in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The Election Commission (EC) has suspended two polling officials in Odisha for dereliction of duty, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Nikunja Bihari Dhal said here on Monday.

One polling official from Narla assembly constituency in Kalahandi district and another polling official in Ganjam district have been suspended for dereliction of duty, he said.

"We are monitoring the poll process in our webcasting room. A minor group clash-like incident was reported from Chikiti area in Ganjam district. I have personally spoken to SP Berhampur and Ganjam Collector and asked them to ensure that the polling goes on smoothly in Berhampur LS constituency eespecially in the Chikiti area," Dhal told media persons.

As voter turnout was a little low in the Berhampur Lok Sabha constituency, the CEO appealed to the voters to come out in large numbers and exercise their franchise.

Some technical glitches were reported in EVMs in some places during initial hours. However, the situation has stabilised, the CEO said.

Voting started at 7 am in Berhampur, Koraput, Nabarangpur, and Kalahandi parliamentary constituencies along with 28 assembly segments within the jurisdiction of these Lok Sabha seats.

Till 11 am around 23.28 per cent of the 62.87 lakh voters have exercised their franchise, officials said, adding that the highest voter turnout was recorded in tribal-dominated Kalahandi Lok Sabha seat at 25.38 per cent followed by Koraput (24.43 per cent), Nabarangpur (24.3 per cent) and Berhampur (18.99 per cent), he said.

Lok Sabha and Assembly elections are being held simultaneously in Odisha.