Chhattisgarh records 71.9% turnout in second phase of Lok Sabha polls

RAIPUR: Braving scorching April heat and

Maoist threats

, an estimated 71.9% of the electorate in three

Lok Sabha constituencies

exercised their franchise during the

second phase

of elections in

Chhattisgarh

on Thursday. Voter turnout was higher than previous elections even in Maoist affected areas.


Polling was by and large peaceful in all the three constituencies, barring an incident of IED blast in which an ITBP jawan sustained minor injuries.

Briefing reporters, state chief electoral officer Subrat Sahoo said, “Around 71.9 percent voting was recorded in three Lok Sabha seats of Chhattisgarh in Mahasamund, Kanker and Rajnandgaon in second phase of

Lok Sabha polls

on Thursday. Voting began in state at 7am and barring few places, ended at 5pm and amid tight security in Maoist infested regions ended at 3pm.”

Election commission officials said that voting in four Assembly segments - Antagarh, Keshkal, Bhanupratappur and Kanker - in the Kanker Lok Sabha constituency and Manpur-Mohla Assembly segment of Rajnandgaon parliamentary seat, ended at 3pm as per the schedule. In six hypersensitive booths at Odh, Kamabhaundi, Amammora, Badegobra, Sahbinkachhar and Kodomali villages of Mahasamund Lok Sabha constituency, polling concluded at 3pm while in remaining areas of this seat, voting went on till 5pm, the official said.

In rest of the four assembly segments - Sihawa, Sanjari- Balod, Daundilohara and Gunderdehi - of Kanker Lok Sabha seat and seven Assembly segments of the Rajnandgaon parliamentary seat, the polling ended at 5pm.

Besides an IED blast triggered by Maoists in Mohla-Manpur region that injured an ITBP jawan, an assistant teacher on election duty at a polling booth in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district died of a heart attack.

The deceased, Tukalu Ram Nareti, an assistant teacher in a government school, was deputed as the polling officer at Kamta booth no.186 in Antagarh area of Kanker Lok Sabha constituency.

Nareti complained of chest pain around 6am and fell unconscious at the polling station. He was immediately rushed to a local hospital where he was declared brought dead.

Altogether 49,07,489 voters - 24,69,110 women, 24,38,320 men and 59 members of the third gender - are eligible to exercise their franchise in these seats.

There are 36 candidates in the fray in these seats, but the main fight is likely to be between the ruling Congress and the main opposition BJP.