BHUBANESWAR:  As many as 218 and 279 candidates are in fray for the Phase I and Phase II General Elections to be held on April 11 and April 18 respectively. 

Election Commission (EC) officials said for the first phase polls to be held in four Parliamentary constituencies of  Koraput, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi and Berhampur and Assembly segments under them, nomination papers of 203 Assembly candidates and 28 Lok Sabha candidates were found valid during scrutiny. 

At least 13 Assembly candidates have withdrawn their nominations in Phase I. With this the total number candidates contesting first phase Assembly and Lok Sabha polls in the state has come down to 190 and 28 respectively. 

Likewise in the second phase nomination papers of 261 Assembly candidates and 37 Lok Sabha candidates had been found valid. However, 17 Assembly and two Lok Sabha candidates have withdrawn their papers in this phase.

With this the number of candidates contesting the polls in the second phase Assembly and Lok Sabha polls has come down to 35 and 244 respectively. General Elections in Odisha this year will be conducted in four phases. While nomination filing for phase III Assembly and Lok Sabha elections is going on, notification for nomination filing for phase IV will be issued on April 2. 

Candidatesin fray

Phase I number of candidates
190 Assembly
28 Lok Sabha
Phase II number of candidates
244 Assembly 
35 Lok Sabha