First phase Panchayat poll ends peacefully in Orissa

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Bhubaneswar, Feb 13 (UNI) Barring some stray incidents, the first phase elections to the three-tier Panchayat bodies in Orissa ended peacefully with an estimated 55 per cent of the 58.88 lakh voters exercising their franchise despite heavy rains in most parts of the state today.

State Election Commission(SEC) office sources said polling was by and large peaceful except in 74 booths, where polling could not be held due to some disturbances. The SEC had ordered repolling in these booths, date for which would be announced soon.

According to the reports, polling could not be held in at least 25 booths in the naxalite-dominated Malkangiri district where the polling personnel could not reach the villages located at the hill top due to a land mine blast and encounter with the Naxalites by the Special Operation Group(SOG).

The Naxalites had given a poll boycott call in the district as a result voters turn out in many polling booths in the district was reported low.

A report from Malkangiri said three SOG jawans were injured during an encounter with the naxalites near Tiguda under Kalimela police station, about 55 km from here. The SOG were accompanying the polling personnel when the Naxalites attacked them.

Soon after the incident the polling personnel were asked not to trek in the dense forest to reach the polling booth to conduct the polling.A fresh date would be announced soon and the polling personnel would be dispatched to these polling booths with heavy security, SEC sources said.

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