"Voting percentage till 9 am was 15%": Odisha CEO on Nuapada bye-election

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], November 11 (ANI): Odisha Chief Electoral Officer RS Gopalan informed on Tuesday that, as of 9 am, 14.99 to 15 per cent of the Nuapada bye-elections had been completed, citing peaceful voting and no law and order issues.
Gopalan said that mock polls began at all 358 booths from 05:30 am, during which some machines malfunctioned and were replaced. Subsequently, in another booth, the EVM malfunctioned again, necessitating its replacement.
"This morning at 5:30 am, mock polls began at all 358 booths and were completed in all of them. During the mock poll, some machines malfunctioned and were replaced. Three balloting units and three controlling units were replaced. Subsequently, in one booth, the EVM malfunctioned again, resulting in its replacement. The voting percentage till 9 am was 14.99 per cent, or 15 per cent. Voting is very peaceful; no issues with law and order anywhere. We are monitoring through CCTV from here, from the district headquarters, and from the ECI as well," RS Gopalan told ANI.
The CEO further noted that the District Election Officer suspended an official previously for not maintaining vote secrecy. He said that an old lady actually came to vote with her companion. However, instead of the old lady, the person who accompanied her voted, which was also not stopped by the presiding officer, following which he was suspended.
"One previous officer was suspended by the DEO for violating voting secrecy. An old lady actually came to vote, and her companion was with her. The person who accompanied her voted instead of the lady. The preceding officer did not stop that, so he was suspended," he said.
Earlier, BJP candidate for Nuapada Assembly bye-elections, Jay Dholakia cast his vote at a polling booth in the constituency.
Dholakia said that his entire family came to vote to contribute to the development of Nuapada and to promote public welfare.
Speaking to ANI, Jay Dholakia said, "The atmosphere is good. I had a darshan of Prabhu Mahadev and took His blessings. The entire Dholakia family is here to contribute to the development of Nuapada, public welfare."
The seat fell vacant following the demise of the sitting BJD MLA and his father, Rajendra Dholakia. From the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Snehangini Chhuria is a candidate for the Nuapada Assembly by-election. She will be up against Bharatiya Janata Party's Jay Dholakia and Congress' Ghasiram Majhi.
Apart from Nuapada, voting for bye-elections on seven Assembly constituencies across six States and one Union Territory began on Tuesday morning, as voters turned out to elect new representatives in Budgam and Nagrota in Jammu and Kashmir, Anta in Rajasthan, Ghatsila in Jharkhand, Jubilee Hills in Telangana, Tarn Taran in Punjab, Dampa in Mizoram and Nuapada in Odisha.
The counting of votes will take place on November 14, along with the Bihar Assembly Elections. (ANI)