New Delhi, December 1
An estimated 56 per cent of the 94 million electorate cast their votes today as stray violence claimed three lives and left scores injured in the assembly elections in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. Curfew was imposed on the Chhatripura area of Indore in Madhya Pradesh following communal clashes over poll-related matters.
The Election Commission has already decided to hold a repoll in 56 polling stations spread in predominantly Naxal-affected constituencies of Chattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh and a few stations in Rajasthan on December 3.
Of the 94 million electorate in the four states, Rajasthan registered 60 per cent polling, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh recorded 55 to 58 per cent polling and Delhi witnessed a 48 to 50 per cent turnout.
“These figures are based on initial estimates and the final figures would arrive only after the returning officers and poll observers submit their final reports by tomorrow,” Deputy Election Commissioner, A.N. Jha told reporters.
A repolling would be held in 24 polling stations in Chattisgarh, 23 in Madhya Pradesh and nine in Rajasthan as the commission complaints of booth-capturing, attempts to destroy EVMs etc.
The number of polling booths in which a repoll would be held could go up based on the final reports, he added.
A majority of the complaints were received from the Bijapur and Naraipur constituencies of Chattisgarh and Moreina, Sagar, Tikamgarh, Satna, Dhar and Balaghat district in Madhya Pradesh. Following a breach in the Indira Gandhi canal in Bikaner district polling could not be held in Lunkaransar.
Madhya Pradesh bore the brunt of poll-related violence claiming tthree lives in Bhind district, including that of a woman, who was caught in a crossfire between two rival groups.
Naxalites of the outlawed People’s War Group snatched EVMs in the Bijapur Assembly constituency trigerring an exchange of fire with the police.
In Delhi, there were stray incidents of poll violence with complaints of clashes in the Moti Nagar constituency where the BJP chief ministerial candidate, Mr Madan Lal Khurana is contesting. There were also reports of clashes in the Mehrauli and Nasirpur assembly segments, but these incidents did not affect the smooth conduct of poll, Mr Jha said.
Dismissing the reports of mass ‘failure’ of EVMs, he said there was some delay in activating EVMs due to human failure and about 30 of the over 1.02 lakh EVMs were replaced.
Surprisingly, there were virtually no takers for the much-touted “proxy-voting” system introduced for the first time in this set of election for the armed forces.
“So far, we have not received any reports of any electorate exercising it. This could be due to the new system and the procedural difficulties,” he said.
However, he said, there seemed to be more takers for the postal ballot system, the final figure of which would be known on December 4, the day of counting.
When asked to comment on two complaints against Chattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi in his home constituency, Marwahi, Mr Jha said “We have received the complaint and the Chief Electoral Officer of the state has taken appropriate steps.”
More than 5,000 candidates are in the fray for nearly 600 assembly constituencies where polling was held. Over 400,000 security personnel were deployed for holding a free and fair poll.
