BHUBANESWAR: The second phase of the panchayat polls on Thursday passed off peacefully barring a few incidents of violence in different districts. More than 65 per cent voters cast their votes.

As polling could not take place in as many as 25 booths, the State Election Commission ordered repolling in those booths. The date for repolling in those booths will be announced on Friday.

The Maoists tried to attack a polling team when the officials were returning from a polling booth in Pusuguda gram pnchayat under Motu police station area of Malkangiri district in the afternoon.

The extremists triggered three landmine blasts. However, the polling officials as well as the policemen who were escorting them escaped unhurt.

In the second phase, polling was conducted for 217 Zilla Parishad Member posts, 1553 posts of Panchayat Samiti Members, 1553 Sarpanches and 21932 Ward Members spread over all the districts of the State.

Of the 25 booths where repelling was ordered six each were in Jajpur and Kendrapara districts, five in Koraput district, three in Boudh, two each in Mayurbhanj and Puri, and one in Nawrangpur.

The third phase of the polls is scheduled to be held on February 17.

Elections for 197 zilla parishad member posts, 1366 posts of panchayat samiti member, 1366 posts of sarpanches and 19257 posts of ward member will be held that day.

Campaign ends

The campaigning for the third phase of polls came to an end on Thursday evening. A total of 811 aspirants, including 277 women, were contesting for the 197 Zilla Parishad seats were polling will be held in the third phase, according to the State Election Commission.

Meanwhile, a team of 20 tribal people from Kalinga Nagar area of Jajpur district came and met the Election Commissioner seeking setting up of a separate booth for them in the locality.

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