BJD accepts charges of booth rigging during Panchayat Polls

Following OTV telecast on booth rigging during re-polls at Pokharigaon polling stations in Cuttack district on February 21, BJD spokesperson Surya Narayan Patro on Thursday stated the poll disturbances might have happened at places where multiple candidates contested for posts for which the election was held on no-party basis.

Speaking to media persons here, Patro said as Rs 70 to 80 lakh funds are being provided  to every panchayat to undertake different development works, it becomes a mouth watering prospect for sarpanch post aspirants leading multiple contestants during the panchayat polls.

"Since the rural polls are conducted on non-party basis, the poll candidates could not be controlled. In these circumstances, most poll contestants must have used muscle power to influence voters," Patro said.

Niali legislator Pramod Mallick also accepted the allegations of booth capturing in four booths of Niali block while alleging Congress supporters were involved in the poll disturbances.

"We have apprised the State Election Commission about the matter," he said.