BHUBANESWAR/MALKANGIRI: For the first time, Swabhiman Anchal voters exercised their franchise from the comfort of their own booths.
Unlike last elections in 2019 when voters of nine panchayats of the erstwhile cut-off area - also a Maoist hotbed - under Chitrakonda segment had to vote at a single Border Security Force (BSF) camp at Jantapai, this time 23 polling booths were set up for them across the region. Voters of the nine panchayats lined up outside the booths since morning to vote.
Officials of CEO said last time people from far-flung areas like Dhuliput, Sarkubandh, Andrapali and Panasput in Swabhiman Anchal had to travel several kilometres to reach the polling booth at Jantapai with a lot of difficulty as a result of which, the voting percentage was a meagre 25.77 per cent. This election, the approximate voter turnout in Chitrakonda segment was more than 65 pc.
“In the last five years, the administration has connected villages within Swabhiman Anchal by constructing all weather roads and bridges. Construction of basic infrastructure paved the path for setting up of polling stations in these villages. People of the Swabhiman area have reciprocated well to these efforts and the voting percentage was 21 per cent by 11 am. This is a milestone in every sense,” said CEO Nikunja Bihari Dhal. The polling was peaceful and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the district.
Likewise, Bonda tribals and residents of Maoist-infested Tulsi village bordering Chhattisgarh under Mathili police limits also voted in large numbers.
Collector and district election officer Sachin Pawar and SP Nitesh Wadhwani oversaw the arrangements and also voted in Malkangiri town. The collector informed that the district recorded approximately 67.30 pc polling till 7 pm on Monday. While Chitrakonda Assembly segment reported 68.01 pc voter turnout, it was 66.6 pc in Malkangiri segment.