Counting for Dhamnagar bypoll in Odisha underway

Counting of votes for by-poll to the Dhamnagar Assembly Constituency in Odishas Bhadrak district is underway amid tight security, an election official said.

The results will be declared after 18 rounds of counting, the official said.

The exercise began with postal votes at the Sanskriti Bhavan here, he said A central supervisor, an assistant supervisor and a micro-observer are present along with party agents at the counting centre, the official said.

According to ECI sources, a three-tier security arrangement was in place for the exercise. The counting of EVM votes began after counting of postal ballot, in 14 different tables. The counting will be completed in 18 rounds.

One platoon (30 personnel) armed force each of the CRPF and OSAP were deployed along with the district police personnel in the outer circle of the counting centre.

The Dhamnagar seat fell vacant following the death of BJP MLA Bishnu Charan Sethi in September.

Five candidates, including Abanti Das of the BJD, Suryabanshi Suraj of the BJP and Baba Harekrushna Sethi of the Congress are in the fray.

At least 68.98 per cent of the seats 2,38,417 voters had cast their votes in 252 booths on November 3.

Suraj, son of the deceased MLA, said, I am fighting the election from Dhamnagar as a local who knows about the place and people here.

senior BJD leader and satte minister Pramila Mallick exuded confidence that party candidate Abanti Das will win the election by a wide margin.

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