On Sunday, poll workers across the state cast their votes ahead of the three-tier panchayat elections scheduled for August 8. The voting process began at 10:00 am, with Returning Officer Sushanta Dutta of Dukli RD Block reporting that 222 people filled out Form 60 for early voting. This group included 96 poll workers, 69 police officials and security personnel, and 57 others.
Dutta highlighted that out of the five Zilla Parishad seats under Dukli Block, two were already won uncontested by the ruling BJP. Voting was conducted for the remaining three seats. Additionally, only four Gram Panchayat seats in Kanchanmala were up for voting, as the other 277 seats were won uncontested, with one seat remaining vacant without any candidate. The BJP also secured all 15 Panchayat Samiti seats in the block uncontested.
In Kalyanpur Block, the voting process for election officials concluded smoothly on Sunday. Returning Officer and BDO of the block, Himendu Bikash Pal, reported that a total of 250 voters participated. Pal expressed confidence in the orderly and disciplined conduct of the voting process.
The postal voting process commenced on Sunday morning in the Satchand block. According to Returning Officer Anupam Das, voting began at 10 AM for polling personnel and police officers involved in election duties. A total of 428 personnel were eligible to vote via postal ballots, including 214 polling staff, 212 police officers, and two other employees. The voting process was conducted under tight security in three designated rooms, and by 3 PM, approximately 70% of eligible voters had cast their ballots.
