BHUBANESWAR: In the second round of the Panchayat elections in Odisha on Friday, almost 43 percent of the 62.10 lakh voters cast their votes until 12 p.m., according to an official.
Voting was taking place in 186 Zilla Parishad zones across the state, including 68 blocks. The polls opened at 7 a.m. and will close at 1 p.m. According to preliminary reports, voting in the state is progressing well, with the exception of two booths in the Jagatsinghpur area, said RN Sahu, secretary of the State Election Commission (SEC). In the sensitive Kotia area of Koraput district, it is also proceeding on a quiet note. According to Sahu, about 40% of voters in the Kotia Panchayat voted until 12 p.m.
Odisha and Andhra Pradesh are locked in a five-decade legal battle over ownership of 21 of Kotia Panchayat's 28 villages, which is currently pending in the Supreme Court. Andhra Pradesh held Panchayat elections in six of the 21 contested villages in Kotia last year.
Voting is taking place at 20,436 booths across the state in 1,514 Panchayats covering 68 blocks. Voters were observed queuing in front of polling booths to exercise their right to vote. After physical events were reported from 25 booths during the first round of voting on Wednesday, security was reinforced in the second phase.
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