Bhubaneswar, Feb. 13: Voters waited in long queues to exercise their franchise as the first phase of panchayat polls drew to an end today.

State Election Commissioner Rabi Narayan Senapati said that over 71 per cent people today cast their votes.

"Barring a few incidents of violence, the polling was by and large peaceful," said Senapati. At a few places, voters also boycotted polling for various reasons, including protest over panchayat reorganisation and lack of basic amenities in their areas.

"After receipt of the detailed report from the respective district collectors, we will examine and order re-poll," said Senapati.

Tension was witnessed at Reng village under Komna block of Nuapada district after a few unidentified goons barged into the booth, poured petrol into the ballot box and torched it. Similarly, in Jagdalpur panchayat of Patakura in Kendrapara district, criminals looted the ballot box from the polling booth and tossed it into a nearby river.

At Kantamala in Boudh, voters of Laida village under Dapala gram panchayat protested in front of a polling booth demanding re-poll as there were allegations of booth capturing and rigging.

In some areas, violence erupted during polling. In the volatile Brahmagiri area, three persons were injured in violence. In the same area, the husband of a woman sarpanch candidate was attacked and injured.

Though polling was postponed in the cut-off areas of Chitrakonda block in Malkangiri district in view of Maoist threats, polling was peaceful in other parts of the district, said the State Election Commissioner. The rebels resorted to arson at some places in Khaprakhol area of Balangir.

Besides, poll boycott was reported from nine gram panchayats in eight districts, including Khurda, Cuttack, Balasore, Nabarangpur and Keonjhar.

Tension mounted up at Ramchandrapur village in Kendrapara district after a mob snatched the ballot boxes from the polling personnel and set them afire this evening. The mobsters have held the polling officials hostage, said the police.

Barring these incidents, there was brisk polling in other areas across the state. Though the polling time was 12 noon, voters were seen standing in queues till afternoon to cast their votes. As the voting time was extended due to high voter turnout at many places, counting of votes was delayed which was scheduled to begin at 1pm. Enthusiasm was noticed both among young and old voters. First-time voters appeared the most excited.

Apart from common voters, ministers such as Bikram Keshari Arukh, Snehangini Chhuria and former ministers Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak and his arch-rival Bijoy Mohapatra were seen standing in queues at their native places to cast their votes.

The highest voter turnout (84.3 per cent) was reported in Sonepur district, while the polling rate was lowest in Balangir (60 per cent).

Arrangements had been made for over 58.28 lakh voters to exercise their franchise for 189 zilla parishad zones, 1,506 gram panchayats and 20,369 wards under 65 blocks in 29 districts today.

Around 1.10 lakh police personnel and government officials were deployed for poll duty. The campaign ended today for the second phase of polling scheduled to be held on Wednesday for 175 zilla parishad zones, 1,386 gram panchayats and 18,581 wards. Over 53 lakh voters are expected to vote.