Jajpur/Rayagada: Eligible voters of Nagada village in Jajpur district exercised their right to franchise for the first time Tuesday, in 20 years, during the fourth phase of three-tier rural elections held in Odisha.
The bonafide residents were being deprived of their democratic rights for nearly last two decades sans road connectivity. Nagada has been in the spotlight since 2016 following deaths of a number of children from the village owing to severe malnutrition.
However, Nagada village witnessed 83 per cent voter turnout during the 4th phase of panchayat elections, State Election Commissioner (SEC) Aditya Prasad Padhi informed while briefing mediapersons.
Likewise, the Dongria Kondhs in Niyamgiri hills of Parasali panchayat under Kalyansinghpur block of Rayagada district cast votes during the electoral process after long lapse of about 15 years, the SEC said.
“Maoist-infested Niyamgiri-Trilochanpur locality witnessed 80 per cent voter turnout during the 4th phase of rural polls,” SEC Padhi added.
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It is pertinent to mention here that Niyamgiri Pahada Surkhya Samiti (NPSS) earlier used to choose people’s representatives for different posts at rural bodies based on consensus. NPSS was giving priority to unity of the tribal community while selecting the local candidates.
The 4th phase of three-tier rural polls was conducted in 64 blocks of 27 districts. As many as 51,31,000 voters sealed the fates of their local representatives for 163 zilla parishads and 1,254 panchayats.
During the fifth phase of panchayat polls in Odisha, polling is to be held in 131 Zilla Parishad zones in 48 blocks of different districts. Polling will be held in 975 gram panchayats February 24. As many as 41,88, 382 people will cast their votes during the fifth phase of polls.
Repolling will conducted February 23 at 45 booths where elections could not be carried out during the first two phases of panchayat elections. Similarly, repolling for 30 booths will be held February 25, where voting was disrupted in the third phase of three-tier elections.
Out of the total five phases of panchayat elections in the state, the fifth phase polls will be held February 24 and centralised counting of votes will be conducted at the Block headquarters February 26, 27 and 28.
PNN