With the completion of the first phase Panchayat election in the State, the entire focus has now shifted to the second phase, which will be held on February 18.
In the second phase election, Kotia Panchayat, the bone of contention between Andhra Pradesh and Odisha due to border issue, will be in the focus.
A team of polling party on Wednesday reached Kotia Panchayat. Voting for Zilla Parishad zone-I of Pottangi block in Koraput district will be held on February 18 and Kotia Panchayat is a part of this zone. As many as 5,790 voters will exercise their franchise in 13 booths in the Panchayat.
Meanwhile, for the second phase election, the preparations of the Odisha Election Commission and the district administrations are on the final stages. Polling parties on Wednesday left for the booths assigned to them.
In the second phase, polling will be held for 186 Zilla Parishad zones in 68 blocks across the State. A total of 20,436 booths will be set up in 1,514 Panchayats and 62,10,000 voters will cast their vote.
Notably, the campaigning for the second phase election came to an end on Wednesday evening.
“We will conduct poll in Kotia Gram Panchayat the same way as we will do in the rest 239 Gram Panchayats. I had personally visited Tadibalasa village and found that people are eager to participate in the poll. There is nothing to be worried about,” said Koraput district Collector, Abdal Mohammed Akhtar.