Disruptions By Miscreants Continue In Final Phase Of Panchayat Polls In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Even as the polling for fifth and final phase of panchayat elections was by and large peaceful in 25 districts of the state, there were sporadic incidents of disruptions due to violence and other reasons.

According to sources, polling was discontinued in as many as 9 booths in Pokharigaon panchayat under Niali block of Cuttack district as the miscreants snatched the ballot boxes and threw those into ponds. The voting in booth numbers 11 to 19 have been stopped midway.

Similarly, rigging in polling has been reported from 7 booths in the panchayat, leading the locals to demand repolling. The voting in booth number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 20 and 21 has been affected, the sources said.

In another incident in the same panchayat, supporters of a sarpanch candidate allegedly beat up the voters. Following the incident, the locals staged road blockade at Pokharigan Chhak demanding re-polling. Local tehsildar, IIC of Niali police station along with election officials have have rushed to the spot to bring the situation under control.

In Bhadrak district, ballot papers snatching has been reported from booth. While the polling was going on in Ward No-1 of Katasahi panchayat under Damnagar block, a polling agent created disturbances, beat up some voters and snatched the ballot papers. While an elderly voter has been injured in the incident, the agent is absconding, the sources said.

Following the incident, the election officials said repolling will be held in the booth on the direction of the State Election Commission (SEC).

In another incident in the district, tension prevailed in Arjunpur panchayat as the miscreants allegedly thrashed a polling agent and drove him out of the polling station. Similarly, poll rigging has been reported from two other booths in the panchayat.

In Mayurbhanj district, a candidate contesting for sarpanch post in Bhatachatra gram panchayat under Bisoi block has been missing since Tuesday night.

The matter came to light after Basanti Tudu, the wife of the candidate, Sadananda Tudu, filed a complaint at the local police station on Wednesday.

Basanti, in her complaint, alleged that her husband left home at 8 pm and did not return home. Though the family members searched for him in all possible places and enquired from the relatives and known persons, they failed to trace him.