SEC to conduct repolling in 62 wards of 11 dists

Bhubaneswar: Acting on the reports of the district collectors on booth capturing and violence during the first phase Panchayat polls, the State Election Commission (SEC) today decided to conduct repolling in 62 wards of 11 districts.

According to a release issued by the SEC this evening, repolling in 62 wards would be conducted in Balasore, Bhadrak, Boudh, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Koraput, Nuapada, Puri and Sundargarh districts between February 18 and 21.

Also Read: Repoll likely in 44 booths due to poll-related violence

Repolling in 36 wards in Balasore (2), Cuttack (16), Dhenkanal (1), Jajpur (5), Kendrapada (11) and Nuapada (1) districts would be conducted on February 18, while repolling will be held in 4 wards in Kantamal block in Boudh district on February 19. On February 20, repolling will be held in 13 wards in Puri district and one ward in Lathikata block in Sundargarh district while four wards each in Koraput and Bhadrak district would be conducted on February 21, the release added.

In the meanwhile, taking cognizance of the irregularities in the voter list in Balasore district, the SEC today asked the Panchayati Raj department to place Balasore Sadar BDO Mamata Nayak under suspension and relieve her from election duty with immediate effect

The Commission has also asked the department to assign poll duty to another officer in place of Nayak.