Bhubaneswar: Barring a few violence in some places, the second phase elections to 11 Lok Sabha and 77 Assembly constituencies in the State were by and large peaceful with 74% of overall voter turnout.
Releasing the final figure of the polling at a press meet here today, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Mona Sharma said all the districts recorded more than 70% of votes while the Khurdha is the only exception which witnessed a low polling rate of 56 percent. Mayurbhanj district recorded a highest voting rate of 82%.
Nayagarh district recorded 75.6% while Bhadrak 75%, Puri 73.9%, Kendrapara 72.9%, Cuttack 70%. As many as 76 per cent of voters in Dhenkanal district cast their votes while 78 percent of voters turned up to the polling stations in Angul district, Sharma informed the mediapersons.
The voters have performed better in rural areas than their urban counterparts, she added. On the report of fresh violence in Marshaghai where the BDO was allegedly manhandled by a mob, Sharma said the poll observer has been entrusted with the task of investigation.
Four places in Niali constituency of Cuttack district where EVMs were vandalized by the errant mob will have fresh polls, she said. All other EVMs were sealed and have been stored in strong rooms at 64 places across the State amid high security, she informed.