A jawan helps an elderly person on his way to the polling booth and (below) voters queue up at a booth in Cuttack. Pictures by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, April 17: Voters’ enthusiasm, particularly that of the first timers, marked polling for the 2014 Lok Sabha and Assembly polls here today as the three major parties — the BJD, Congress and the BJP — seemed locked in a three-cornered contest.

Braving scorching heat with mercury hovering around 38°C, voters in large numbers exercised their franchise for the Cuttack Lok Sabha seat and three of its Assembly segments that include parts of the city. Today’s polling here was largely incident free.

While the BJD, with a last minute whirlwind campaign by party boss and chief minister Naveen Patnaik, pulled out all stops to retain the Cuttack Lok Sabha seat and the nine Assembly seats in the district, the voting percentage was more than that in 2009.

District collector Girish S.N. said the average turnout for the general election at the 2,171 voting sites across the district was good. It may exceed 65 per cent.

More than 60 per cent polling was recorded in Cuttack district in 2009. About 18.90 lakh voters in Cuttack district were eligible to cast their votes to decide the fortunes of 89 candidates in the fray for the nine Assembly seats — Barabati-Cuttack, Choudwar-Cuttack, Cuttack Sadar, Athgarh, Baramba, Banki, Niali, Salipur and Mahanga and Cuttack Lok Sabha seat.

Considerable enthusiasm was seen among voters, especially among first-timers and people from the middle class and slum areas, with the young and the old queuing up outside booths to exercise their democratic rights.

“My name and the names of my husband and mother-in-law were missing from the voters’ list at the time of civic polls in February. We are happy that we were able to cast our votes for the general elections,” said 46-year-old Alaka Patnaik, who came to cast her vote at Sanat Nalini Girls’ High School polling booth near Shelter Square.

Her 19-year-old son Anandjit, a first-timer, said: “I am excited on exercising my franchise as I am able to see myself as part of the instrument for formation of a government at the Centre and in my state.”

“After giving my secret ballot, I now feel proud to be part of the democratic system of our country,” said Lopamudra Nayak, 21, another first-timer at Kilafort polling booth.

Barring reports of minor incidents such as technical snags in electronic voting machines causing delay in voting in 20 booths and disruption in voting at three booths, the polling process was by and large smooth and peaceful.

“Completion of the polling process was not possible in three booths at Niali. A final decision for re-polling will be taken by the observers”, said Cuttack collector Girish S.N.

Sources said that goons damaged the electronic voting machines at two booths at Mahangapada and one booth at Sadeilo around 2pm.

Deputy commissioner of police, Cuttack, Sanjiv Arora said: “Deployment of more than 20 platoons of police force, including four companies of central paramilitary force and 12 platoons of Odisha State Armed Police Force, along with mobile patrolling, ensured a peaceful election in the city as a whole.”