None turn up to vote in 8 booths in Maoist-hit Malkangiri

Though there was peaceful repolling in 15 booths in Maoist-hit Chitrakonda Assembly seat in Odisha's Malkangiri district today, no votes were cast in eight polling stations mostly due to fear, official sources said.

No votes were polled in the seven booths in cut-off areas of Balimela reservoir -- Andrapalli, Sanyasiguda, Handikhol, Panasput, Sirongi, Gorasetu and Jantri and one booth in Mathili area.

Kamarpalli booth, one of the two polling stations in Mathili area also witnessed nil voter turnout.

The officials attributed it is the fear of Maoists and the long distance to the polling stations discouraged voters.

A total of 11,433 voters were to cast their votes in the 15 booths.

The repolling was ordered in the 15 booths as the Maoists had snatched away EVMs and set them on fire during the April 10 polls.

"We made all arrangement to ensure peaceful polling in the Chitrakonda assembly seat. We can only say what exactly happened after getting a report from the district administration," Inspector General of Police Y K Jethwa said.

He said two helicopters flew polling officials to the cut-off area. "There was no report of any untoward incident."