Counting of votes has begun in Odisha's Patkura Assembly constituency. Polling was held there on July 20 after being postponed twice in the last few months.
Kendrapara district Collector Samarth Verma told PTI that a total of 18 counters have been set up for the counting of votes. He added that elaborate security arrangements had been made to ensure that counting of votes takes place in a smooth and peaceful manner.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's bete noire, Bijoy Mohapatra of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was locked in a contest there with Biju Janata Dal (BJD) candidate Sabitri Agarwal, the widow of party leader Bed Prakash Agarwal.
While 10 candidates were in the fray, the contest was mainly between the ruling BJD and the BJP. The Congress fielded Jayanta Kumar Mohanty.
Polling in Patkura was scheduled on April 29. However, it could not due to the death of Bed Prakash Agarwal on April 20.
The Election Commission had then fixed May 19 as the new date for voting, but was postponed again due to Cyclone Fani making a landfall in the state on May 3.
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