65% cast votes in civic polls amid scorching heat & stray violence

Bhubaneswar: Braving a daytime temperature of 40 degrees Celsius, people stepped out in large numbers to cast their votes in the municipal election on Thursday amid sporadic incidents of violence. A voter turnout of 65%, on an average, was recorded in 106 smaller towns (47 municipalities and 59 notified area councils) and the Cuttack Municipal Corporation, while the voting percentage was lower in Bhubaneswar (50%) and Berhampur (47%), according to preliminary estimates. State election commissioner

Aditya Prasad Padhi

said, “The final voter turnout may go up further. Voting was largely peaceful barring stray disruptions.”A youth was stabbed to death following heated a argument between two groups of people over alleged attempt to rig polls at a booth in Dhamnagar township of Bhadrak, while two rival political groups clashed in a ward of

Bhadrak

town. “Repolling may be conducted in some booths of Dhamnagar and Bhadrak,” Padhi said.Sisir Kumar Sahu, vice-chairman of Khandapada block, was attacked in front of a polling booth over political rivalry. Two persons were injured in a fight between BJD and Congress workers in Balangir. Three persons were wounded in a clash at Chikiti township in Ganjam district. A BJP polling agent was attacked in Pipli township of Puri district.