Bhubaneswar, Feb 11 (PTI) About 68.13 per cent voters exercised their franchise in the first phase of panchayat polls in Odisha today which remained peaceful barring stray incidents of violence and snatching of ballot boxes. "An estimated 68.13 per cent of the 56.26 lakh electorate voted in the first phase of panchayat elections held in 82 blocks spread over 30 districts," state Election Commissioner Ajit Tripathy told reporters here. Cuttack district registered maximum turnout of 87 per cent while Maoist-affected Malkangiri, where four BSF officers were killed in an IED blast triggered by red rebels yesterday, recorded the minimum of 52 per cent, Tripathy said. In 13 booths of Nakamamudi panchayat of Korkunda block, polling was postponed to February 19 in view of the Maoist triggered blast yesterday, official sources said. The first phase of polling was held for 194 zilla parishads and 1,454 gram panchayats. The elections for the remaining four phases are slated to be held on February 13, 15, 17 and 19. Polling passed off by and large peaceful barring stray violence as father-in-law of a sarpanch candidate was killed in a group clash in Badagurundi panchayat of Kaniha area near Talcher before voting, the sources said. As many as 13 people have been held in connection with the incident, sub-collector S Rout said.
