Chhattisgarh assembly elections: Voting concludes in first phase with 56.58% voter turnout

The polling for the first phase of Chattisgarh assembly elections concluded at 5.30 pm on Monday, November 12.

The voting for all 18 seats in the first phase began at 7 am and concluded at 5.30 pm.

Stringent security arrangements were made and over 1.25 lakh police and paramilitary personnel were deployed to counter possible Naxal attacks during the assembly elections.

The polling began at 7 am in Mohla-Manpur, Antagarh, Bhanupratappur, Kanker, Keshkal, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur and Konta.

While districts like Khairagarh, Dongargarh, Khuji, Rajnandgaon, Dongargaon, Bastar, Jagdalpur and Chitrakot commenced polling from 8 am, reports NDTV. 

In the first phase, 190 candidates were in the fray and as per electoral rolls, there were about 31,80,014 voters. Women voters outnumber men for the first phase of polling, with 16,22,492 female voters as against 15,57,435 men. There were 87 third gender voters as well, reports PTI.

The first phase of assembly elections in Chhatisgarh for all 18 seats concluded at 5.30 pm.

In the first phase of Chhattisgarh assembly elections, voter turnout recorded 56.58% till 4.30 pm, including 61.47% in Kondagaon, 63.51% in Keshkal, 62% in Kanker, 58% in Bastar, 49% in Dantewada, 60.5% in Khairagarh, 64% in Dongargarh, 65.5% in Khujji, reports ANI.

Around five Naxals were killed in an encounter that broke out between security forces & Naxals in Bijapur's Pamed area during the assembly elections. Three personnel of Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) were injured.

A 103-year-old woman, Soni Bai, turned up to cast her vote in Gorgunda's Devarpalli, Sukma. Her son carried her in his arms to the polling station.

Voter turnout recorded highest in Rajnandgaon in the first phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly elections with 39% in Mohala-Manpur constituency followed by Kondagaon district which recorded a voter turnout of 33 per cent.

Certain sources are spreading rumours that EVMs are malfunctioning repeatedly. This is to clarify that above info is false. Voting is going on smoothly. If at all, any glitches are noticed, issue is sorted out as quickly as possible: Election Commission

In the first phase of Chhattisgarh assembly elections, out of the total of 4336 polling stations, 53 reported delayed start of polling due to technical reasons.

Voters in Jagdalpur's Gandhi Nagar ward protested outside the polling centre, claiming names of many voters including those who have been living in Chhattisgarh for past 25 years are missing.

Two Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) jawans were injured in an encounter which broke out between security forces & Naxals in Bijapur's Pamed area at around 12:20 pm. Gun battle underway.

Chief Minister Raman Singh took to Twitter and urged youth, women and senior citizens of the state to cast their votes in the assembly elections.

Three IEDs have been detected near a polling booth in Konta's Banda. CRPF bomb disposal squad are now in the process of defusing them.

A differently abled person arrived at Chintagupha polling booth in Dantewada to cast his vote.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the people of Chhattisgarh to cast their votes in large numbers.

A 100-year-old woman reached a polling booth in Dornapal constituency to cast her vote in the first phase of assembly elections.

A voter turnout of 10.7% was recorded till 10 am in the first phase of Chhattisgarh assembly elections, ANI reported.

"Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was triggered by Naxals on Tumakpal-Nayanar road at around 5:30 am to target security forces. No harm to security forces & polling party. Party safely reached to Nayanar polling booth No. 183 under PS Katekalyan," Devnath AIG (Anti-Naxal Ops) told ANI.