The BJD on Saturday moved the Election Commission, alleging that BJP MLA candidate for Puri, Jayant Sarangi, had distributed money ahead of the polling to allure people to vote for the saffron party.

A BJD delegation met the chief electoral officer (CEO) and submitted a memorandum to this effect.

The BJD leaders also submitted a video footage of Sarangi distributing money. In the memorandum to the CEO, Nikunja Bihari Dhal, the BJD alleged: “Jayant Sarangi, the BJP MLA candidate, was found distributing money to the residents of Penthakata at around 3 AM. This act was an apparent attempt to influence the voters unlawfully. Upon receiving information about this illegal activity, a group of BJD workers promptly arrived at the scene to protest and stop the distribution.”

Election was held in Puri Lok Sabha constituency along with other five Lok Sabha constituencies, including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Keonjhar and Dhenkanal and 42 Assembly seats under its segments.

The BJD also alleged to the CEO that Prashant Kumar Jagdev, the BJP candidate for Khurda Assembly seat — a part of the Bhubaneswar Lok Sabha constituency — vandalised an EVM at a polling station.

Jagdev was also accused of assaulting a polling officer.

On the other hand, BJP’s MLA candidate for Brahamgiri Assembly in Puri district Upasana Mohapatra accused a polling officer of misbehaving with the voters.

The party also alleged that the BJD’s Chandipada Assembly candidate in Angul district, Sushant Kumar Behera, attacked a BJP worker.

Barring these incidents, the election passed peacefully in the third phase in Odisha. Despite the scorching heat, people turned up to vote.

Two people, including a polling agent and a woman voter, died on Saturday in Odisha, allegedly due to heat stroke. The incident took place when the polling was underway.

The two deceased have been identified as Sukadev Patnaik from Bahalunda area in Hindol constituency of Dhenkanal and as Kumuduni Dalei, 65, of Patharpunji village in Nayagarh.

Officials said voting was underway when Patnaik fell unconscious. He was rushed to hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead.

On the other hand, Dalei fell unconscious while standing in a queue to cast her vote. She was also taken to hospital and doctors declared her dead.

In the third phase of polling, the fate of Bhubaneswar BJP Lok Sabha candidate Aparajita Sarangi, BJP’s Cuttack Lok Sabha candidate Bhatruhari Mahtab, Puri’s BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra, Sambalpur’s BJP candidate Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was sealed.

By 5pm, Odisha recorded a 60 per cent voter turnout in the six Lok Sabha constituencies and 42 Assembly seats.