Koraput: The Andhra Pradesh state election commission Friday asserted that the recent polls conducted at Kotia villages of Koraput district in Odisha witnessed a low voter turnout.
According to a source, a total of 1,291 voters were notified under the Neradibalsa polling booth out of which only 223 voters including 99 women cast their votes Thursday as compared to 66 per cent polling recorded during the last panchayat election to the post of sarpanch conducted here by the Andhra government February 13, 2021.
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“The low turnout of voters is due to development activities executed in the panchayat by the Odisha government in the last few years,” Koraput district Collector Abdaal M Akhtar said briefing media persons.
Notably, the Odisha government had clamped Section 144 in 22 Kotia villages. This administrative decision was taken close on the heels of the Andhra Pradesh High Court clearing decks to hold polls in Kotia to posts of Samitis and Zilla Parishad members April 8 Thursday.
A number of political leaders from Odisha BJD, BJP and Congress had camped in the region to oppose the polls. The leaders blocked roads near Fatusineri Odisha-Andhra border in Koraput protesting the election conducted in the fringe villages by the southern-state.
PNN
