Raipur, November 12: The polling for the first phase of Chhattisgarh  Assembly Elections 2018 in eight Naxal-affected districts ended on Monday.  Umesh Sinha, Election Commission informed that the voter turnout was 76.28 per cent. Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat was quoted by ANI saying that the polling was peaceful in Chhattisgarh. Rawat added saying that in comparison to earlier elections, these elections have been singular achievement of the people working in fields. "Attempts were made to create fear among people but enthusiasm in voters was appreciable", he added.

The voting was spread across 18 constituencies amid massive security arrangements. As many as 190 candidates, including state Chief Minister Raman Singh, were in the fray for 18 of the 90 Assembly seats.

Till 4.30 PM, a voter turnout of 56.58% was recorded in the first phase. It included 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. Off the total 31,80,014 people eligible for voting, 16,22,492 are women, while 15,57,435 are men. Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections 2018 Full Schedule And Dates: Polling in 2 Phases, November 12 & 20.

The 18 Assembly seats where polling took place on Monday - Dantewada, Bijapur, Konta, Khairagarh, Dongargarh, Rajnandgaon, Dongargaon, Khujji, Mohla-Manpur, Antagarh, Bhanupratappur, Kanker, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Bastar, Jagdalpur, Keshkal and Chitrakoot. Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections 2018 Updates: First-Phase Polling Ends.

Amid voting, at least four Maoists were reportedly killed and two CRPF personnel suffered bullet wounds after a gunfight broke out near Bijapur’s Majiguda village. According to a tweet by ANI, people in Dantewada's Madenda village cast their votes even after threat from the Naxals to cut their fingers if the ink mark is seen on their fingers. Local said, "there are 263 registered voters in the village and many are voting even after the threat."

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 12, 2018 06:36 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).