83.55 per cent polling in Panchayat elections
| Date :07-Feb-2020 |
SEC Thakur Ram Singh
Staff Reporter :
RAIPUR,
The general election for 3-tier Panchayati Raj Institutions, 2019-20, which was conducted in three phases on January 28, 31 and February 3, recorded 83.55 per cent polling including 83.69 per cent male and 83.41 per cent female exercising their franchise. The polling percentage was 5.7 per cent more than the percentage of polling held in 2014-15. In seven Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected districts under Bastar region, an average polling percentage of 69.97 per cent was recorded, which was 10.51 per cent more than the polling in 2014-15. Briefing media persons about the Panchayat Elections at a press conference on Thursday, State Election Commissioner (SEC) Thakur Ram Singh said that during the complete polling process not a single case of violence, riots, loot, booth capturing, etc was registered and the polling went on peacefully barring one or two stray incidents.
Altogether 36 complaints of Model Code of Conduct violation were received, of which, 15 complaints were resolved at once while investigation and subsequent actions are under process in the remaining cases. The Commission also received 107 general complaints, of which, 53 complaints were resolved while the remaining complaints are under process. During the election process, 19,091 prohibitory actions were taken, 4,784 cases under Motor Vehicles Act and 1,445 cases under Excise Act were registered. The State Election Commissioner further informed that FIR was registered against culprits in village panchayat Sagarpur in Balrampur district, village Godhi in Raipur district and village Sonpairi also in Raipur district for damaging ballot papers ahead of polling process or after the polling process or for misbehaving against polling parties. In all the cases the culprits were arrested.
In village Syail in Balodabazaar district, FIR was registered against Zila Panchayat Member Naveen Mishra for violation of Model Code of Conduct as he was found distributing freebies among voters. The freebies were confiscated and Mishra was arrested. The State Election Commissioner while informing about innovations during the election process said that for the first time SEC-ER online software was used to prepare Electoral Rolls and ONNO software was used for online filing of nomination forms by candidates. Also for the first time online voter search and photo voter-slips printing facility was extended. Also for the first time 29,757 voter selfie zones were established in order to encourage the voters.
The State Election Commissioner further informed that of the total 1,75,768 posts including 1,60,725 posts of Panch, 11,664 posts of Sarpanch, 2,979 Janpad Panchayat Members and 400 Zila Panchayat Members in 27 districts and Janpad Panchayats, elections was conducted for total 1,75,433 posts including 1,60,413 posts of Panch, 11,641 posts of Sarpanch, 2,979 Janpad Panchayat Members and 400 Zila Panchayat Members. Total voters in the state were 1,45,14,687 including 72,59,319 male, 72,55,213 female and 155 trans-gender voters. Polling was conducted through 29,757 polling booths including 8908 sensitive and 3,448 hyper-sensitive booths. Polling parties for 50 polling booths situated in LWE affected regions were transported through helicopters while 353 polling booths were shifted to other places due to security reasons.
After scrutiny and withdrawal, elections were held for 1,04,668 posts including 90,329 posts of Panch, 11,056 posts of Sarpanch, 2,884 Janpad Panchayat Members and 399 Zila Panchayat Members, for which, total 2,87611 candidates including 2,24,485 candidates for Panch, 48619 candidates for Sarpanch, 12602 candidates for Janpad Panchayat Members and 1905 candidates contested for Zila Panchayat Members. Candidates were elected unopposed in 70,028 posts including 69,408 posts of Panch, 524 posts of Sarpanch, 95 Janpad Panchayat Members and one1 Zila Panchayat Member, informed the State Election Commissioner.