Bhubaneswar, Dec. 5 -- The polling for the byelection to Padampur assembly constituency in Bargarh district is currently underway. As many as 2,57,474 electorates are exercising their franchise. Among them is Umesh Panigrahi, an NRI living in Oman, who returned home with the sole purpose of exercising his democracy rights by casting his vote.

Panigrahi, 38, who moved to the Arabian nation some 11-12 years ago, is elated after casting vote for the first time in his life.

"I have been living in Oman for the past 11-12 years. Though I became an eligible voter 20 years back, unluckily I could not cast my vote for various reasons. But this time, I managed to avail leave, and made other arrangements to reach home and finally cast my vote," sa...