The second of the five phases of the panchayat elections in the State concluded Wednesday with a high voter turnout at 73 per cent, two per cent higher than in the first phase polls held on Monday.
Barring stray incidents, the second-phase polls ended peacefully across the State. The first phase polls held on Monday had recorded a 71-per cent turnout.
“Barring stray incidents, the State witnessed 73 per cent turnout in the second phase panchayat polls. While Dhenkanal district recorded the highest turnout of 83 per cent, Malkangiri recorded the lowest with 60 per cent,” State Election Commissioner (SEC) Rabi Narayan Senapati told reporters here.
He said preparations had been made for polling at 175 Zilla Parishad zones and 18,581 wards of 1,386 panchayats under 65 blocks of 29 districts. Arrangements were made for 53,62,814 voters to exercise their franchise.
On the untoward incidents, the SEC said, “We have received information about poll violence like booth rigging and ballot box looting and boycott of voting in some places. We have sought detailed reports from district Collectors. Re-polling will be held after getting the reports from the Collectors,” he added.
The voting began at 7 am and concluded at 12 noon. However, those who were in queue in the booth premises cast their franchise even after the deadline.
In the first phase polls, the turnout was 71 per cent with Subarnapur district recording the highest polling of 84.3 per cent and Balangir the lowest of 60 per cent.