The State Election Commission (SEC) would conduct re-polling in 62 wards of 11 districts in the State where rigging or snatching of ballots and ballot boxes were reported during the first phase of the three-tier panchayat elections held on Monday.
After receiving reports from the district Collectors of Baleswar, Bhadrak, Boudh, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Koraput, Nuapada, Puri and Sundargarh, the SEC decided to conduct fresh elections in these booths between February 18 and 21.
Re-elections would be held at 16 wards in Mahanga block in Cuttack, Baleswar, Jajpur, Kendrapada, Nuapada and Dhenkanal districts on February 18, re-polling would be in Boudh district on February 19. Re-polling would also be held at four booths each in Koraput and Bhadrak districts on February 21. Fresh elections would be held at 13 booths in Puri. “In most of the cases, snatching of ballots and ballot boxes has been reported. It has mostly happened while polling parties were returning after the conduct of polls,” said SEC Secretary Rabindra Nath Sahu. Sahu said a directive on safe transport of ballot boxes and ballot papers and ballot materials and polling personnel has been issued.
“The SEC has issued instructions today to Collectors and SPs to provide adequate security to polling parties while they are returning. Mobile police parties will accompany he polling parties. Polling parties will not return without police escort,” Sahu pointed out.