35 to 40 per cent polling in Orissa Assembly poll

Brisk polling was reported in Orissa with 35 to 40% of the electorate exercising their franchise in the last phase of assembly polls.

Brisk polling was reported with 35 to 40 per cent of the electorate exercising their franchise in the second and last phase of simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Orissa which was peaceful so far.

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Election commission sources here said voter turnout ranged between 35 to 40 per cent in various parts of the coastal belt and Mayurbhanj district till late in the afternoon.

Reports pouring in from the districts said there were long queues in front of many booths since the early hours.

Forty per cent polling was reported from Balasore, Jagatsinghpur and Jajpur, while 38 per cent voters cast their votes at Puri. Cuttack and Nayagarh recorded 30 per cent polling till late in the afternoon.

The city, however, registered a lower turnout of about 26 per cent with very few voters in many booths.

The Director General of Police N C Padhi said except some minor incidents, polling was by and large peaceful in all the 10 Lok Sabha and 70 assembly constituencies where voting was underway.

There were some problems with EVMs in 12 booths at Cuttack in the initial hours which delayed the polling. However, the problem was promptly rectified, EC sources said.