Over 76% voters across 28 districts in Odisha have caste their votes on Sunday in the fourth phase of polling for the ongoing Panchayat elections. The polling were held peacefully in one of the most Maoist-hit districts of India. However there were minor disturbances over defects in ballot papers, said State Election Commissioner Rabinarayan Senapati.
People in Berigetta and Techguda gram panchayats in Kalimela block cast their votes with enthusiasm after a gap of 15 years. Three earlier panchayat elections in 2002, 2007 and 2012 could not be held in these gram panchayats due to Maoist threats.
Subarnapur district recorded 87% turnout while Ganjam saw 65% of voters which was the lowest. Voting could not be conducted in four booths of Begunia block in Khurda district and Bansapal block in Keonjhar district due to defective ballot papers, he said. Senapati said the Commission has sought a detailed report from the district Collectors based on which a decision to conduct repolling would be taken.
Polling at Gania Zilla Parishad zone in Dhenkanal district was countermanded due to court cases although reports say that polling was conducted peacefully in the Maoist-hit Malkangiri district.
“Drones were deployed to conduct aerial surveillance on several highly sensitive polling booths in the district during voting,”
Malkangiri Superintendent of Police Mitrabhanu Mohapatra said.
