Phase II Odisha Panchayat Polls: 43% Voter Turnout Till 12PM, Over 40% Vote In Kotia

Bhubaneswar: The voter turnout till 12 pm in the second phase of Panchayat elections in Odisha, was 43 per cent, Secretary, State Election Commission (SEC), Rabindra Sahu on Friday.

The disputed Kotia panchayat recorded a voter turnout of over 40 per cent during this period. A total of 652 booths have been set up in Pottangi, Jeypore, and seven zones in Koraput to decide the fates of 50 Sarpanchs and Samiti members besides 652 ward member candidates in the panchayat. Over 5000 voters will exercise their franchise in 13 booths of Kotia with six platoons of police force deployed to maintain law and order and check incursions.

There were more boots on the ground to ward off untoward incidents after the first phase saw clashes and snatching of ballot papers. However, some miscreants reportedly created disturbance in the voting process in Patasara panchayat under Zilla Parishad zone I of Jagatsinghpur block.

Polling was also reportedly halted at booth No-5 in Bada Balikuda panchayat in Jajpur district following confusion over the poll symbol of a ward member candidate. 

Villagers of Durgaprasad and Mahulapunji in Dhenkanal Sadar block resorted to poll boycott over their demands. Similarly, voters Baradajodi and Ladipadar under Tentulikhunti panchayat are boycotting elections over alleged lack of basic amenities in their areas. Voters also boycotted polling at booth-15 in Kuranga Sasan of Cuttack district, protesting the detention of some people by police in connection with a case.