Polling under first phase of 16th lok Sabha elections will be held in Madhya Pradesh at 16,592 polling booths on April 10 from 7 am to 6 pm in nine constituencies including Satna, Rewa, Sidhi, Shahdol, Jabalpur, Mandla, Balaghat, Chhindwara and Hoshangabad. All is set for polling.
Four various kinds of observers are kept watching over electoral process in the nine Parliamentary constituencies. These include 10 general observers, nine election expenses observers, one police observer (Balaghat) and 2426 micro observers. As many as 1.32 lakh polling staff will conduct polling in these constituencies. In all, there are 118 candidates in the election fray while 1.44 crore will exercise franchise to elect MPs.
Of these, 75.12 are males, 69.12 lakh females and 279 others. Number of voters of 18-19 years age group is 4.44 lakh including 2.60 lakh males, 1.83 lakh females and 19 others and in 20-29 age group there are 44.54 lakh youth voters including 23.99 lakh males, 20.55 lakh females and 112 other voters. The first phase has 10,000 service voters and two NRI voters. Mandla Parliamentary constituencies in this phase has the maximum 18.24 lakh voters and Chhindwara the minimum 14 lakh 830 voters.As many as 16,592 polling booths have been set up for the first phase where arrangements have been made for drinking water, shade, ramp, light etc.
Mandla Parliamentary constituency has the maximum 2 ,334 polling booths followed by Satna 1567, Rewa 1635, Sidhi 1863, Shahdol 1704, Jabalpur 1814, Balaghat 1873, Chhindwara 1850 and Hoshangabad has 1952 polling booths including auxiliary polling booths. In the first phase, 20,342 ballot units (BUs) and 18281 control units including 10 per cent reserved EVMs will be used. EVMs are all set for use. Names of candidates have been affixed on EVMs and have been kept in strong rooms amid tight security. After second randomisation, mock poll will be held at 6 am on the polling day in the presence of representatives of political parties.