Odisha Panchayat Elections 2nd phase: Residents of 4 villages boycott polls

Nabarangpur/Dhenkanal: Even as second phase of Panchayat elections kicked off on Friday with much enthusiasm across Odisha, residents of four villages in Nabarangpur and Dhenkanal districts reportedly boycotted the polls.

The voters of Baradajodi and Ladipadar villages under Tentulikhunti Gram Panchayat refused to cast their votes in the polls today.

According to reports, polling stations were set up at Baradajodi village, but not a single voter visited the booths to exercise vote alleging the district administration of not providing basic amenities like roads, drinking water and electricity in two villages.

Source said that Tentulikhunti BDO-cum-Polling officer Duryodhan Bhoi had appealed to the villagers yesterday evening to vote and chose their representatives in the electoral system. Despite his request, the residents of these villages boycotted the polls today.

The villagers made it clear that they will not cast votes till their demands are not met.

Meanwhile, the eligible voters of Durgaprasad village and Mahulapunji village reportedly stayed away from vote in Dhenkanal district. While the voters of Durgaprasad village boycotted the elections demanding revenue status to their village, Mahulapunji villagers denied to exercise votes protesting over a poultry farm in the village.

The voting was also affected in many other villages across the State in the second phase of the Panchayat elections.

According to media reports, voting was halted midway in Booth No.5 of Badbalikuda Gram Panchayat in Jajpur district over alleged irregularities in the symbol of a ward member candidate.

During the polling, violence was reported in Jagatsinghpur district where miscreants looted a ballot box from Booth No.1 and a ballot box was destroyed in Booth No.2 in Patasara village under Sadar Block.

As per the data released by the State Election Commission (SEC), about 43 per cent of voters turnout was recorded till 12 noon in the State.