Bhubaneswar: More than 77 percent of the 2.53 lakh registered voters participated in the by-election for the Nuapada Assembly seat by 7 pm on Tuesday, as reported by an official. Although the outcome will not influence the current government in the State, it carries political weight for the ruling BJP, the Opposition BJD, and Congress, marking the first electoral competition in the State since the BJP established its first government last year. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who made at least six visits to Nuapada leading up to the by-poll, views it as a matter of prestige. The election is also perceived as a gauge of BJD president Naveen Patnaik’s enduring impact on State politics.
Polling, which started at 7 am, ended at 5 pm across 311 booths, although voting at 47 sensitive booths concluded an hour early, officials stated. Voters already in line were allowed to cast their ballots. A total of 358 booths were created throughout the constituency. Polling teams, along with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), were transported by two Indian Air Force helicopters from the Sunabeda Wildlife Sanctuary area, which is deemed highly sensitive due to Maoist activity, to the district headquarters in Nuapada after voting ended. According to election officials, the voter turnout reached 77.93 percent by 7 pm. In the previous 2024 State Assembly election, Nuapada had a voter turnout of 75.44 percent.
There was a brief disruption at the Mongarapali polling station on Khariar Road due to a technical issue with the EVM, which was resolved, with three ballot units (BUs), three control units (CUs), and one VVPAT being replaced. The by-election was called following the death of sitting BJD MLA Rajendra Dholakia on September 8. The regional party nominated Snehangini Chhuria to retain the seat, while the BJP selected Jay Dholakia, the late legislator’s son. The Congress, out of power in the State since 2000, fielded veteran tribal leader Ghasiram Majhi, who was the runner-up in the 2024 Assembly elections with over 50,000 votes.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) R S Gopalan informed reporters that voting proceeded smoothly and peacefully throughout the constituency, including sensitive and ‘Sakhi’ booths managed entirely by women. “The polling process was continuously monitored through CCTV, and issues were promptly addressed from both district and State headquarters to ensure a free, fair, and transparent by-election in Nuapada,” he stated. District Election Officer (DEO) Madhusudan Das noted that two poll officials were suspended for failing to uphold voting secrecy. They were identified as Sandeep Kumar Swain, a school teacher serving as the presiding officer at Government Upgraded High School at Biromal, and Dhananjay Mallick, another presiding officer at Kuliabandh Government School.
