zero per cent polling recorded in Maoist-hit areas of Odisha

Though first phase polls remained violence-free in Odisha on Thursday, zero per cent polling was recorded in some Maoist-hit areas of Malkangiri district, while villagers in some places boycotted elections over local demands, an official said. Around half-a-dozen booths in Chitrakonda area of Malkangiri district recorded "zero polling," he said.

"Yes, we have received reports of poll boycott by villagers over some issues, while zero polling was recorded in some Maoist-hit areas of Malkangiri district," Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Surendra Kumar said. Sources in Malkangiri district administration said that in many places in Chitrakonda assembly segment, people did not turn up to cast their votes.

Though the polling stations were located close to the BSF camps to ensure the safety of voters, the people in Cut-off area and in Mathili block in Malkangiri district chose not to take any risk. Earlier, the Left Wing Extremists had appealed to the villagers through posters to boycott the polling. Meanwhile, a report from Kalahandi district said that the people in five places boycotted votes on local demands like road connectivity, bridges and lack of development activities in their areas.

The vote boycott was reported from Bhejipadar village under Bhawanipatna assembly segment, Surli, Supel, Kusumdara, Sankriguda cluster of villages under Junagarh assembly segment, Tetengpadar under Narla assembly segment, 4 villages under Taljhapi of Thuamul Rampur block in Lanjigarh assembly segment, Manibandha of Lanjigarh assembly segment. The CEO said there is no provision for holding repoll in places where people boycotted the polls or refrained from voting due to other reasons.

Meanwhile, a delegation of BJP Thursday moved the Chief Electoral Officer and alleged that the ruling BJD activists indulged in violence and booth rigging at the Chikiti Assembly constituency in Ganjam district and Koraput assembly segment. "They (BJD activists) rigged booths in the Chikiti assembly constituency. Even BJP polling agents were not allowed to enter as many as 18 polling booths", Mohanty alleged.

(With inputs from agencies.)