2nd phase panchayat poll records 73% turnout in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The second phase of the three-tier Panchayat polls recorded 73 per cent voter turnout in Odisha on Wednesday.

The first phase poll held on February 13 recorded 71 per cent turnout.

“The state witnessed 73 per cent turnout in the second phase panchayat polls. While Dhenkanal district recorded the highest turnout of 83 per cent, Malkangiri district recorded the lowest with 60 per cent,” State Election Commissioner (SEC) R.N. Senapati told reporters here.

He said they have received information about poll violence at some places in the state.

The voting which began at 7 am concluded at 12 pm. The voting was held for 175 Zilla Parishad zones, 1,386 Gram Panchayats having 18, 581 wards under 65 blocks of 29 districts except Deogarh.

The SEC has made elaborate arrangements for the smooth conduct of the polls. CCTV cameras have been installed at all the sensitive and hyper sensitive booths.