By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR/PURI/DHENKANAL: State Election Commissioner Aditya Prasad Padhi has said, 70% voting recorded in the 1st phase of polling for Odisha Panchayat and Zilla Parishad Elections. The election was held at 22,379 booths in 1,669 Panchayats in 70 Blocks of the State for 200 Zilla Parishad Members, 1,669 Sarpanches, 1,669 Panchayat Samiti Members and 22,379 Ward Members.
Violence has been reported in three booths of Dhenkanal district, seven booths of Jajpur district and five booths of Puri district, he said. 5 persons sustained injuries after being allegedly attacked by supporters of a political party at Nisibhanra village under Rahadamala Panchayat in Puri. All injured have been admitted to the local hospital.
Sources said, some miscreants allegedly looted a ballot box from booth-9 in Kasijharia village under Chapamanik Panchayat of Brahmagiri block in Puri.
Media persons were allegedly attacked by miscreants at a booth in Badala panchayat under Kanas block in Puri district. A clash between two groups disrupted the polling process over stealing ballot paper stamps at booth-1 in Sujanpur Panchayat.
However, the poll for 13 Ward members, 6 Sarpanches, three PS Members and one ZP member was countermanded due to sudden death of contesting candidates. Fresh elections will be held for these posts.
Total 225 platoons of police force comprising 37,245 cops will be deployed to maintain law and order. The Panchayat and Zilla Parishad elections are being held in five phases on February 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 with strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols. Over 2.79 crore voters are exercising their franchise in total 91,913 wards of 6,794 Gram Panchayats across all districts in 5 phases. Of the total 91,913 polling booths, 13,785 have been identified as sensitive.
