Odisha Panchayat Polls: SEC Receives Proposals For Re-Poll At 25 Booths, 22 Held For Violence

The State Election Commission (SEC) is likely to take a decision on re-polling at several booths in various parts of the state where violence was reported during the conduct of the first phase voting for the three-tier Panchayat elections on Wednesday.

Secretary to the SEC, Rabindra Sahu, on Thursday said that the Commission has received proposal for re-polling at 25 places in four districts based on the reports from the concerned district Collectors. Those include 11 booths in Jajpur district, five booths each in Puri and Bhadrak districts and four booths in Dhenkanal district.

“We have received proposals for re-poll at 25 places in four districts. The State Election Commission is reviewing such proposals and a decision will be taken in this regard soon,” said Sahu.

It is pertinent to mention here that sporadic incidents of violence were reported during the conduct of the first phase polls on Wednesday.

As many as 40 people were injured, including 17 seriously, after miscreants hurled bombs at booth no-IV in Alanda Panchayat in Krushnaprasad Block of Puri district in a bid to capture the booth. In another incident, miscreants attacked a presiding officer at a booth in Nihalprasad village under Gondia Block of Dhenkanal district before running away with the ballot box.

In another incident, four journalists were brutally assaulted by miscreants who were trying to capture a booth by force, during the first phase of polling for the three-tier Panchayat Elections at Badal Panchayat under Kanas block in Puri.

Meanwhile, 22 persons have been arrested for their alleged involvement in poll rigging incidents in Jajpur district and attack on journalists in Puri district, police said on Thursday.