Bhubaneswar: Pleasant weather, extensive awareness drives and excitement among first-time voters seem to have contributed to the 5% jump in turnout in Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha constituency on Saturday, observers said.
Bhubaneswar LS seat recorded a turnout of 64.49% compared to 59.17% in 2019. The three assembly constituencies in the capital, which usually record very low turnout, have also reported a slight improvement this time.According to Election Commission data, Ekamra-Bhubaneswar recorded a turnout of 56.42% compared to 47.6% in 2019, Bhubaneswar-Central witnessed 51.28% polling compared to 43.27% in 2019, and Bhubaneswar-North recorded 53.93% turnout compared to 45.4% in 2019.

The other four assembly segments under Bhubaneswar parliamentary constituency — Begunia recorded a turnout of 71.96%, Jatni polled 70.19%, Jayadev recorded 80.77% and Khurda a turnout of 72.75% on Saturday.
Debakanta Patra, a poll observer, said increased awareness, excitement among youngsters and the pleasant weather might have contributed to increase in voter turnout in the city. “The awareness drive conducted by the EC was also commendable this time,” he said.
Pritish Acharya, a first-time voter, said he was waiting for the opportunity to exercise his franchise. “I went with my 70-year-old grandmother to cast our votes. It was a proud moment and I feel overwhelmed to be a part of the democratic process,” Acharya, a Plus III second year student, said.
State’s chief electoral officer Nikunja Bihari Dhal said the polling percentage might improve further as it does not include the postal ballots and it is an approximate figure of data received from different polling stations.
BJD election strategist VK Pandian attributed the increase in voter turnout in the capital to the programmes announced in the party manifesto for the middle class and youngsters. “No other party has the development agenda in their manifestos for the middle class,” he claimed.
Six LS and 42 assembly seats in the state went to polls in the third phase of elections on Saturday. Voters selected their representatives in the most important urban cluster of Bhubaneswar-Puri-Cuttack in this phase.
As per data, the six parliamentary constituencies collectively recorded a turnout of 73.91% in the third phase. Sambalpur recorded the highest turnout of 79.50% followed by Keonjhar of 78.06%. Similarly, Dhenkanal recorded 75.66% turnout followed by Puri at 75.43% and Cuttack with 71.20%. In assembly segments, Athmallik and Chhendipada under Samabalpur LS recorded the highest voter turnouts of 85.69% and 84.36%, respectively.
Union minister and BJP candidate Dharmendra Pradhan and BJD’s organisational secretary Pranab Prakash Das locked horns in Sambalpur LS seat, while BJP’s Aparajita Sarangi and BJD debutant Manmath Routray contested from Bhubaneswar LS constituency.