Bhubaneswar: Barring a few incidents, the third phase of panchayat elections was completed smoothly in Odisha with a turnout of approximately 71 per cent, State Election Commissioner (SEC) on Friday.
There were 18,945 booths across the State where voting was conducted for 171 Zilla Parishads, 1,382 Gram Panchayats, in 63 Blocks of 29 Districts, in the third phase.
“At least 71 per cent out of 56.53 lakh voters exercised their franchise in this phase. The polling began at 7 am and continued till 1 pm. However, in places where voters were seen standing in the queue, they were allowed to cast their votes after the deadline,” the release read.
“There were incidents in Jajpur, for which strict action will be taken against those who have attacked journalists. The Commission has taken strict note of the incident and directed the DGP and Jajpur district administration for action,” the SEC said.
“The voting percentage in Malkangiri district is encouraging. Despite being Maoist-hit, the Mathili and Podia blocks have witnessed significant voter turnout,” it added.
The SEC further added, “The voting process was disrupted due to incidents of violence and related activities. the SEC has sought reports from respective district collectors in this regard and action will be taken accordingly.”
