Early trends indicate ruling BJD leading in both Balasore, Tirtil Assembly seats

Bhubaneswar: Ruling BJD candidates are leading in both Balasore sadar and Tirtol (SC) assembly seats in Odisha, as per the early indication of the completion of the second round.

The counting of votes for the bypoll to both the Assembly seats began at 8 AM today amid tight security following all protocols of COVID guidelines.

As per the latest report from CEO office, the BJD candidate S K Das at Balasore and Bijay Shankar Das at Tirtol are leading respectively from their nearest rival BJP candidates Manas Kumar Dutta (Balasore) and Raj Kishore Behera (Tirtol).

In Balasore, while the counting is going on at the collectorate office, the counting for Tirtol seat is underway at the SVM College, in Jagatsinghpur.

A three-tier security arrangement has been made at the counting centres both at Balasore and Jagatsinghpur.

As many as 110 officials and 57 Micro observers have been deployed for conducting the polls.

All arrangements have been made for a covid safe counting, Social distancing, face masks, face shields and sanitisation of the counting halls.

As many and 25 rounds of counting at 14 tables in both the centres would be made.

As per the second round of counting the BJD candidate was leading by a margin of 615 votes in Balasore Sadar seat over his nearest rival BJP candidate and in Tirtol also the ruling BJD candidate is leading by a margin of 3310 votes. In both, the Assembly seats the Congress candidates are pushed to third position.