65.86 pc polling in 6 LS seats of MP
   Date :30-Apr-2019

 
 
Staff Reporter:
 
Naxalites burn vehicle of ex-MLA and independent candidate Kishore Samrite
 
The final voting figure will be clear on Tuesday but the voter turnout details being shown on the Election Commission by Monday evening said that over all voting percentage was around 65.86 per cent. There is likelihood that this voting percentage may increase when final data is out
 
 
In the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in Madhya Pradesh, polling was held in six Parliamentary constituencies vis Sidhi, Shahdol, Jabalpur, Mandla, Balaghat and Chhindwara. Simultaneously, polling was also held for Chhindwara Assembly by-election. Polling was held in a peaceful atmosphere barring Balaghat where armed Naxalites burnt the vehicle of ex-MLA and independent candidate Kishore Samrite. Earlier, polling started amid lukewarm response and by 3 pm, all six Parliamentary seats registered 65.86 per cent voting. This polling percentage is expected to rise as long queues were witnessed at polling centres even after 5 pm. In the meantime, 57 ballot units, 147 VVPATs and 56 control units were changed during mock poll done before starting of the voting. After 7 am, 46 ballot units, 29 control units and 106 VVPATs were changed.
 
Chief Electoral Officer V L Kanta Rao told that polling started amid peaceful atmosphere and by 9 am, polling in all the six Parliamentary constituencies. Polling percentage was 11.39. Male voting percentage was 14.62 and female voting percentage was 8.08 percent. In Chhindwara Assembly constituency registered voting percentage of 7.46 per cent. However, armed Naxalites intercepted the vehicle of independent candidate Kishore Samrite and set the vehicle on fire. Naxalites did not harm anybody. Later, FIR was filed in connection with the incident happened in Lanji area.
 
IG Balaghat said that they are investigation the incident. Meanwhile, one ASI Gabbu Singh Yadav died during poll duty in Sidhi. A woman officer Sunanda Kochekar also died of cardiac arrest in Chhindwara area on Sunday night. By 3 pm, Sidhi Lok Sabha seat registered 46.85 per cent voting, Shahdol 55.80 per cent, Jabalpur 53.87 per cent, Mandla 55.89 per cent, Balaghat 60.18 per cent and Chhindwara 59.87 per cent polling. Overall voting in all six Lok Sabha seats stood at 65.86 per cent. This voting percentage is expected to rise as long queues were witnessed at polling centres.