Bhubaneswar: Voting for the second phase of Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Odisha began today at 7 am. Polling is being held for five Lok Sabha seats (Aska, Bargarh, Balangir, Kandhamal and Sundargarh) and 35 Assembly segments under the parliamentary constituencies at 9,162 booths.

Hinjili and Kantabanji assembly seats, where Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik is contesting, also went to polls in this phase.

Odisha Chief Electoral Officer Nikunja Bihari Dhal said around 20% of the 9,162 polling booths for the second phase have been marked as critical, with webcasting arrangements in 60% of the booths.

He mentioned that an Additional DGP rank officer has been assigned to manage law and order in Ganjam, especially in the Aska parliamentary constituency, due to pre-poll violence in Khallikote.

A total of 79.69 lakh voters, comprising 40.33 lakh men and 39.35 lakh women, will cast their votes at these polling stations in the second phase, deciding the fate of 265 MLA and 40 MP candidates.

With the IMD forecasting a rise in temperature on May 20, the CEO assured that adequate drinking water, ORS, and essential medicines will be available at each polling station. Additionally, paramedical staff, ASHA workers, ambulances, and mobile health units will be deployed.