Taking a serious note of the violent incidents reported from some parts of the State during the first phase of the Panchayat election, which took place on Wednesday, the Odisha Election Commission has asked the DGP to take the necessary steps to ensure that the remaining phases of the voting should be conducted without any law and order situation.
Briefing journalists in the aftermath of the voting for the first phase State Election Commission Aditya Prasad Padhi said that poling was held at 22,379 booths for 200 Zilla Paraishad member posts of 1,669 Gram Panchayats in 71 Blocks. He said the overall polling passed off peacefully barring some incidents of violence which were reported from a few places.
In the first phase, over 71,51,000 voters were to exercise their franchise. Approximately 70 percent of these voters turned up to vote, Padhi informed.
“As per the preliminary reports, polling was disrupted at three, seven and five booths in Dhenkanal, Jajpur and Puri districts, respectively. The SEC will take steps after receiving the detail reports from the respective district Collectors,” added Padhi.
The SEC also informed that polling could not be held at Ward no-11 of Kundamela Gram Panchayat under Junagarh Block in Kalahandi district due to some specific reasons.
Notably, voting for the second phase of the ensuing Panchayat elections will be held on February.
Earlier in the day, as many as 40 people were injured, including 17 seriously in Alanda Panchayat under Krushnaprasad Block in Puri district after some miscreants hurled bombs at booth no-IV in an attempt to capture the booth. The injured people were admitted at MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur. In the same Puri district, several journalists were brutally assaulted by miscreants who tried to capture a booth by force. The incident was reported from Badal Panchayat under Kanas Block.
In another incident of violence, miscreants attacked a presiding officer at a booth in Nihalprasad village under Gondia Block of Dhenkanal district before running away with the ballot box. The presiding officer, identified as Purnachandra Roul, suffered head injuries in the attack and was immediately shifted to the Gondia government hospital where he is undergoing treatment.