Raipur: An estimated 59.19 percent turnout was recorded till 1500 hours in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday during the largely-peaceful maiden phase of Assembly poll covering 20 constituencies, including ten in areas severely affected by Left-wing extremism.
A CRPF officer was injured when an IED exploded within the restive Sukma district of Bastar division.
Voting concluded at 1500 hours in the Naxalism-hit zones but will officially end at 1700 hours in the remaining ten constituencies. The state has a 90-member Assembly.
Official sources gave the polling break-up as Kanker approximately 67.45 percent, Bastar 60.86, Bijapur 30, Mohla-Manpur 73, Sukma 50, Kondagaon 64.48, Dantewada 52, Narayanpur 53, Rajnandgaon 63.18, Kabirdham 50.81 and Khairagarh 64.48 percent.
Confirming the Maoist incident, SP Kiran Chauhan said, “A detachment of the Force’s 206th Commando Battalion for Resolute Action had left Camp Tondamarka and was heading for Elmagunda village to execute an area domination exercise. Inspector Shrikant stepped on the landmine. He has been hospitalised.”
The ultras had issued a poll boycott call.
The timings for exercise of franchise were 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Mohla-Manpur, Antagarh, Bhanupratappur, Kanker, Keshkal, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur and Konta; whereas it is 8 a.m.-5 p.m. in Pandariya, Kawardha, Khairagarh, Dongargarh, Rajnandgaon, Dongargaon, Khujji, Bastar, Jagdalpur and Chitrakote.
Of the total 5,304 polling centres, webcasting facilities were made available at 2,431.
By evening, the fortunes of 223 candidates, including 25 females, shall be sealed in EVMs by members of a 40,78,681-strong electorate that includes 20,84,675 women.
The ruling Congress and the principal-opposition BJP are in an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation in all 20 constituencies, 19 of which are held by the Congress.
Counting is scheduled for December 3.
