Keeping up with the trend so far, the voter turnout in the third phase of three-tier panchayat polls crossed the figures of previous phases. Although crowds were thin at polling booths in the later hours, the third phase registered polling percentage of 72.54 per cent, which exceeded those in the first and second phases.
“like the previous phases, the third phase has been successful too. The faith voters have in the panchayat system has grown strong over time. And now, they want to ensure their participation in the panchayat system,” State Election Commissioner Shiv Basant said.
The polling stations in hinterlands of the State were thronged by voters in the early hours of the polls as voting started at 7.00 am. The footfall decreased though, as the day progressed, but this did not affect the polling percentage adversely.
The highest polling percentage was recorded in Deoghar, at 81 per cent, a first for the district in panchayat polls 2015. The district leading the charts in last two phases, Pakur, saw 76 per cent voter turnout in this phase.
Once again, the voters from Naxal-affected districts voted enthusiastically despite the poll boycott being observed by extremist outfits. Electorates from Gumla (64.5 per cent), latehar (71.68 per cent), Khunti (64.87 per cent), lohardaga (75.98 per cent) and other districts enthusiastically turned up at polling booths to elect a strong and capable rural Government.
Around 73 percent voters, including a record number ofwomen, cast their ballot amid tight security arrangements in Garhwa. Meanwhile, DDC Sri Ram Tiwari sought answers from 79 poll personnel who were absent from poll duty. The DDC instructed them to present their explanations within next 24 hours.
Huge voter turnout marked the third phase of the panchayat elections in five blocks of Bokaro and Giridih districts as voters here chose to defy the Maoist diktat of poll boycott. No untoward incident was registered in these five blocks as voters thronged the polling booths. Women, elderly people and physically challenged persons also turned up in large numbers to exercise their franchise.
The 38,109 security personnel deployed across the state ensured peaceful polling. The third phase of panchayat polls remained peaceful, apart from scattered instances of hooliganism reported from Chatra.
More than 44 lakh voters from 70 blocks across 22 districts of the state exercised their franchise in this phase, sealing the fate of 35,469 candidates in the poll fray for 10,738 positions in Panchayati Raj Institutions. The ballot boxes have been sent to designated strong rooms and counting will begin on December 13.