Chhattisgarh polling parties return to district headquarters

Amidst high security, almost all polling parties returned to their respective district headquarters today after polling in Maoist-affected Bastar region and Rajnandgaon district.

However, security forces returning after deployment for polling, have been told to be alert after two BSF personnel and a civilian driver were killed in a Maoist landmine blast today while they were returning.

Polling in 18 Maoist-affected constituencies of Bastar and Rajnandgaon in the first phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly polls was conducted on Monday. "Besides few polling parties in Antagarh constituency of Kanker district, all polling parties have reached their respective district headquarters. Electronic voting machines were kept under heavy security," Chief Electoral Officer Sunil Kujur told PTI.

Once all polling parties return, the final figure of voting percentage will be known, he said. Polling at 72 constituencies of the state will be held on November 19, he said.

Meanwhile, a senior police official said that security personnel returning after deployment would also be deployed for the second phase of elections.

Adequate security arrangements will be made in districts like Mahasamund, Gariyaband, Dhamtari and North Chhattisgarh which will go to polls in the second phase, from where frequent movement of Maoists were witnessed in the past.

Around 67 per cent of the 29,33,200 voters in Maoist-affected Bastar region and Rajnandgaon district exercised their franchise in the first phase of polling yesterday.