Panchayat polls: Repolling held at 36 booths across Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Repolling was held at 36 booths across the State today where voting for the first phase panchayat polls was cancelled by the State Election Commission (SEC) due to disturbances and cases of violence related to the rural elections.

In Kendrapara district, the repolling was conducted at two booths in Bangalapur panchayat, eight booths under Ramchandrapur panchayat and one booth in Jagdalpur GP amid tight security. One platoon of police force was stationed at the booths where the re-election was held.

Notably, miscreants had looted ballot box from 11 booths and thrown them into river and damaged ballot paper during the first phase rural polls on February 13 leading to cancellation of the poll process.

Besides, the repolling was held at two booths in Balasore district, 16 booths in Cuttack, five in Jajpur, 11 in Kendrapara and one in Nuapada.

Also read: Post-poll violence continues unabated in J’singhpur

The re-election was held at booth no-4 at Purunapani in Baunsapala panchayat of Kamakhyanagar block in Dhenkanal district where 379 eligible voters are present.

In Nuapada district, the repolling was organised at booth no - 12 in Renga under Kureshwar panchayat of Komna block. During the first phase panchayat polls on February 13, ballot box was torched at the booth no-12 in Renga.