Chhattisgarh completes last-phase polling with 64.8pc voter turnout

Voters stand in a queue at a polling station to cast their votes for the second phase of Assembly elections, at Kunkuri, on Tuesday. Pic/PTI

Around 64.8 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 5 pm in the final phase of the Chhattisgarh Assembly polls held on Tuesday, an official said. The voting time ended at 5 pm, but voters were still standing in queues, waiting for their turn at several polling booths. The voting percentage is, therefore, likely to rise.

A total of 1,079 candidates, including 119 women, are contesting in 72 constituencies of the state with an electorate of 1,54,00,596. This was the last of the two-phase polls to the 90-member Assembly.

"Around 64.8 per cent polling has been registered till 5 pm. The voting percentage is expected to rise," the official said. The time of polling was from 8 am to 5 pm, but in two polling booths - Amamora (booth no 72) and Modh (no 76) in Bindranavgarh constituency (Gariaband district) - voting was held from 7 am to 3 pm due to Maoist threats, he said. There were reports of technical snags in EVMs at some places, he said.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has removed a presiding officer and a polling staff at different polling booths in Marwahi constituency of Bilaspur district, afterreceiving complaints against them.

'BJP indulging in malpractices'
Congress approached the EC alleging that Chhattisgarh's ruling BJP was involved in malpractices like unauthorised possession of EVMs by a state official and distribution of cash by a party candidate.

Polling ends in J&K
Polling ended peacefully on Tuesday in the second phase of panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir, with an overall voter turnout of 69.4 per cent although Anantnag saw a bare 0.9 per cent voting. In the troubled Kashmir Valley, 52.3 per cent voters exercised their franchise while the turnout was 80.1 per cent in Jammu region.

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