Voting has ended, turnout is 70% till now in the first phase of Chhattisgarh Elections 2018. Figures will be updated later: Umesh Sinha, Election Commission.
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Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections 2018 Updates: Polling Ends, 70% Voter Turnout Recorded in First Phase Till Now, Says EC
A total of 18 seats are being contested today in the left wing extremism-affected regions of Bastar and Rajnandgaon. Stay tuned here for live updates of the polling, which will end at 3pm.
12 Nov, 18:20 (IST)
Voting has ended, turnout is 70% till now in the first phase of Chhattisgarh Elections 2018. Figures will be updated later: Umesh Sinha, Election Commission.
12 Nov, 17:52 (IST)
56.58% voter turnout recorded till 4.30 pm in the first phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections 2018 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.
12 Nov, 15:34 (IST)
First-phase polling in Chhattisgarh concluded at 3pm. While the Election Commission normally schedules the polling till 5pm, it was decided to wind up the exercise two hours earlier as the region is affected by Left Wing Extremism.
As per the stats released by the Election Commission till 3pm, a total of 47.18 per cent voting was recorded. The numbers are expected to slightly rise as those queued up outside the booths at 3pm were allowed to vote.
12 Nov, 10:46 (IST)
10.7 percent voter turnout has been recorded till 10am in the 18 constituencies of Chhattisgarh which are being contested today.
12 Nov, 09:45 (IST)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has left for Chhattisgarh, where he will be addressing a rally in Bilaspur. The region goes to polls in the second phase of the elections.
12 Nov, 09:09 (IST)
Voting has resumed in the pink booth of Rajnandgaon, where it was stalled briefly at around 8:15pm.
Raipur, November 12: Voting for the first phase of assembly elections in Chhattisgarh began at 7am today, amid tight security. A total of 18 seats are being contested today in the left wing extremism-affected regions of Bastar and Rajnandgaon. Stay tuned here for live updates of the polling, which will end at 3pm.
Of the 18 constituencies which went to polls, 12 are located in the Maoist bastion of Bastar, whereas, 6 others are being contested in Rajnandgaon district. The phase witnesses a key battle in the Rajnandgaon constituency -- where BJP veteran and Chief Minister Raman Singh is pitted against Congress candidate and former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee's niece Karuna Shukla. What Congress Has Promised in its People's Manifesto For Chhattisgarh?
Another contest to watch out is Kunjam, where CPI candidate Devvrat Singh is picked as favourite by various pollsters. Singh had shot to fame when he played a key role in assisting the government to secure the release of Collector Alex Paul Menon, abducted by Maoists in 2012.
Security arrangements in place: CEC
Chief Election Commission Om Prakash Rawat said the polling body has left no stone unturned to conduct a smooth and safe elections in the LWE-affected region of Chhattisgarh.
"Nearly 900 polling personnel have been air-dropped from helicopters so that they can reach safely. Over 16,500 polling personnel went by-road. I think all will be in a position to deliver peaceful elections," Rawat said as the polling began.
"Polling is being held in 18 constituencies of Chhattisgarh today, they are Left Wing Extremism affected area. Polls being held in 2 phases to provide special security in these 18 constituencies. These 18 areas are kept in 1st phase so that paramilitary forces remain fresh," he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Hours before the polling began, an IED blast was triggered by naxals on Tumakpal-Nayanar in Dantewada at 5:30am. No injuries were caused to security forces and EC officials, who narrowly survived. The officials were headed towards polling booth no. 183, under PS Katekalyan.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 12, 2018 08:58 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).