Bhubaneswar: Voting for first phase of the five phases three-tier panchayat polls is going on in a seamless manner and more than 50% polling has been recorded till 11 am, said Secretary of the State Election Commission (SEC) Rabindra Nath Sahu today.
Talking to newsmen, Sahu mentioned, “At some places, voters have boycotted the rural polls. Villagers did not allow poll officials to reach some polling booths in Anandpur thereby affecting the panchayat election process. Further steps will be taken after getting a report from the poll officials.”
Commenting on the Maoist violence in Bolangir in which three tractors and a JCB were torched at Kuliamunda under Khaprakhol block, Sahu said, “The vehicle torching case has nothing to do with the rural polls.”
Earlier, the SEC secretary had stated 35-40% polling has been recorded till 10 am.