Bhubaneswar: The opening day of the five-phase panchayat election witnessed 70% polling on Tuesday amid stray incidents of violence and booth capturing, as people braved Maoist threat in some districts and Covid concern in general to cast votes. The turnout was over 6% less than the last time, but the final figure may go up.
State Election Commissioner (SEC) Aditya Prasad Padhi said barring sporadic incidents of violence and indiscipline, polling was largely peaceful. “The commission has taken the incidents (of violence) seriously and has asked the DGP to ensure an incident-free polling in the subsequent phases,” Padhi said at a news conference. Padhi said polling was disrupted in some booths due to law and order situation. Citing early reports, he said voting was disrupted in seven booths in Jajpur, five in Puri and three in Dhenkanal. “The commission will take an appropriate decision about these booths after getting detailed reports from the district administrations,” he added.
Sources said some people
Allegedly snatched ballot boxes from a booth in Kashijharia village of Chapamanik panchayat under Brahmagiri block of Puri district. More than a 20 people were involved in a clash at Alanda panchayat, under Krushnaprasad block in Puri, in which some of them sustained injuries.
State Election Commissioner (SEC) Aditya Prasad Padhi said barring sporadic incidents of violence and indiscipline, polling was largely peaceful. “The commission has taken the incidents (of violence) seriously and has asked the DGP to ensure an incident-free polling in the subsequent phases,” Padhi said at a news conference. Padhi said polling was disrupted in some booths due to law and order situation. Citing early reports, he said voting was disrupted in seven booths in Jajpur, five in Puri and three in Dhenkanal. “The commission will take an appropriate decision about these booths after getting detailed reports from the district administrations,” he added.
Sources said some people
Allegedly snatched ballot boxes from a booth in Kashijharia village of Chapamanik panchayat under Brahmagiri block of Puri district. More than a 20 people were involved in a clash at Alanda panchayat, under Krushnaprasad block in Puri, in which some of them sustained injuries.
,