Amid reports of Naxalite violence and the call for boycott, a provisional turnout of around 71 per cent was recorded in the first phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly elections for 20 constituencies on Tuesday, while the single phase Mizoram Assembly elections passed off peacefully with over 77 per cent of 8.57 lakh electors exercising their franchise.
Votes will be counted on December 3 alongwith other states which go to polls this month at different intervals. With this the political fate of former chief minister and BJP leader Raman Singh, Chhattisgarh Congress chief and MP Deepak Baij, and at least three ministers in the Bhupesh Baghel cabinet was sealed in EVMs.
The polling for the remaining 70 Assembly segments will be held in the second phase on November 17 and votes will be counted on December 3. Incidents of violence were reported from Sukma, Narayanpur, Bijapur and Kanker districts.
Four security personnel were injured in an encounter with Naxalites in the Chintagufa police station area of Sukma district while a CRPF commando sustained injuries in an IED blast near Tondamarka camp in the same district during separate area domination operations to ensure security during the polls, police said.
Exchanges of fire also took place between Naxalites and security personnel, one each in Narayanpur, Bijapur and Kanker districts.
However, no harm was reported to security personnel in those incidents, police said. Around 60,000 security personnel, 40,000 of them belonging to the Central Armed Police Forces and 20,000 from the State police, have been deployed for the smooth conduct of polls in the Bastar division which has 12 Assembly segments, police said.
Residents of 126 villages in the Bastar division rejoiced as polling stations were set up for the first time in their villages since Independence in seven Left Wing Extremist (LWE) affected districts, a statement issued by the poll authority said.
Former Naxalite Sumitra Sahu, who joined the police force in 2018, voted for the first time. She voted in the Narayanpur constituency. Family members of BJP leader Ratan Dubey, who was killed by Naxalites while campaigning for the party last week in Narayanpur district, also cast their votes.
The Congress, which is seeking another term and the opposition BJP, which had ruled the state for 15 years before it was voted out by a huge margin in 2018 polls, are the main contenders for power.
Voting for 10 constituencies was held from 7 am to 3 pm in 10 seats and from 8 am to 5 pm in the remaining 10 segments under a thick security blanket of police and paramilitary personnel in the Naxalite-hit Bastar division.
“A 70.87 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 5 pm in the first phase of the Chhattisgarh elections on Tuesday. However, this figure may go up as the final data from several booths was yet to be received,” a poll official said.
Additional chief electoral officer H Lianzela said the voting percentage of Mizoram is likely to touch 80 as final reports were yet to come from far-flung districts.
In the 2018 State polls, the overall voter turnout was 81.61 per cent. Polling in all the 1,276 polling stations was peaceful, the official said, adding 174 candidates, including 18 women, are in the fray. Of the 11 districts, central Mizoram’s Serchhip recorded the highest polling percentage of 84.49, followed by Hnahthial (84.16) and Khawzawl (82.39). Aizawl district witnessed the lowest turnout of 73.09 per cent. South Mizoram’s Siaha (76.41) and Saitual (75.12) also posted lower voting percentages compared to others, ECI data said.
The ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), main Opposition Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) and the Congress have fielded candidates in all 40 seats. The BJP is contesting 23 constituencies, while the AAP has nominated candidates in four Assembly segments. Besides, there are 27 independent candidates.
Technical glitches in EVM were reported from one polling station in Aizawl where Chief Minister Zoramthanga went to vote, another official said. The 510-km-long international border with Myanmar and the 318-km boundary with
Bangladesh had been sealed ahead of the polling.
