In the first phase, 190 candidates are in the fray and as per electoral rolls, there are 31,80,014 voters.
Voting began in 18 Assembly constituencies in the first phase of Chhattisgarh elections on Monday under a tight security blanket comprising over 1.25 lakh police and paramilitary personnel.At 4.30 pm, 56.58% of voting was recorded. This included 61.47% in Kondagaon; 63.51% in Keshkal; 62% in Kanker; 58% in Bastar; 49% in Dantewada; 60.5% in Khairagarh; 64% in Dongargarh; 65.5% in Khujji.
Early polling began early for 10 out of 18 Assembly seats considering Naxal threat. A poll official said polling in nine constituencies of Bastar division and one in Rajnandgaon district began from 7 am and will conclude at 3 pm, while in the rest of the constituencies the polling time is from 8 am to 5 pm.
Polling time in 10 constituencies of Chhattisgarh -- Mohla-Manpur, Antagarh, Bhanupratappur, Kanker, Keshkal, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur and Konta -- is from 7 am to 3 pm, due to the Naxal menace.
In the remaining eight constituencies -- Khairgarh, Dongargarh, Rajnandgaon, Dongargaon, Khujji, Bastar, Jagdalpur and Chitrakot -- it is from 8 am till 5 pm.
Naxals had triggered an IED blast on Sunday, a day before the polling, in which one BSF jawan was martyred.
Of the 18 seats going to polling in the first phase, 12 are reserved for Scheduled Tribe (ST) while one is for Scheduled Caste (SC) category.
In the first phase, 190 candidates are in the fray and as per electoral rolls, there are 31,80,014 voters. As many as 4,336 polling booths have been set up for the first phase and 19,079 polling personnel have been deployed.
The second phase of polls will see voting in 72 seats on November 20.
1. Encounter in Bijapur's Pamed area, two CoBRA commandos injured
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Chhattisgarh: Encounter broke out between security forces and Naxals in Bijapur's Pamed area at around 12:20 pm today. 2 Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) jawan injured in the encounter.
(Photo: ANI)
2. 47.2% voter turnout recorded till 3 pm
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47.18% voter turnout recorded till 3 pm: ANI
According to ECI spokesperson, 33.86% voter turnout was recorded till 1:30 pm: 46.04% in Kondagaon; 44.04% in Keshkal; 39% in Dantewara; 23% in Antagarh; 34% in Kanker; 36% in Bastar
(Photo: Twitter/SpokespersonECI)
1330hrs voter turnout update in Chhatisgarh first phase constituencies ..33.86% overall..with 46.04% in Kondagaon; 44.04% in Keshkal; 39% in Dantewara; 23% in Antagarh; 34% in Kanker; 36% in Bastar pic.twitter.com/4DCty0K9wu
— Sheyphali Sharan (@SpokespersonECI) November 12, 2018
3. Three IEDs detected near polling booth in Sukma district's Konta
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Three IEDs have been detected near a polling booth in Konta's Banda and CRPF Bomb disposal squad is in the process of defusing. Polling is underway at a makeshift booth under a tree.
(Photo: ANI)
4. Voters should go by mantra of 'pahle matdaan phir jalpaan', says PM Modi in Bilaspur
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"I have been told that people in large numbers are casting their votes in the Bastar region. I've faith that people will also vote in large numbers in the 2nd phase of elections. Voters should go by the mantra 'pahle matdaan phir jalpaan'," Modi said.
Our opposition still doesn’t know how to fight the BJP. We are focused on development, we went beyond the caste divisions. You can witness development wherever you go in Chhattisgarh," he added.
(Photo: ANI)
5. 10.7% voter turnout recorded till 10 am
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Despite Naxal threat, voting is going on smoothly in Chhattisgarh Assembly polls. 10.7% voter turnout recorded till 10 am.
(Photo: ANI)
#ChhattisgarhAssemblyElections2018: Voting underway in interior areas of Kistaram, Palem and Bejji in Naxal-affected Sukma district.
— ANI (@ANI) November 12, 2018
. pic.twitter.com/b6iRkXKjGV
6. Huge voter turnout in Naxal-affected village
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Rajnandgaon: Huge voter turnout at the polling station in Naxal-affected Manpur's Pardoni village where Naxali posters and banners asking people to boycott elections had been seen.
(Photo: ANI)
Rajnandgaon: Huge voter turnout (pic 1) at the polling station in Naxal-affected Manpur's Pardoni village where Naxali posters & banners (pic 2 & 3) asking people to boycott elections had been seen. #ChhattisgarhAssemblyElections2018 pic.twitter.com/Ld5SJEPnAX
— ANI (@ANI) November 12, 2018
7. Polling begins for 18 Assembly seats in Naxal-affected areas
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Tight security has been provided for assembly election in Chhattisgarh. Over 1.25 lakh police and paramilitary personnel are on election duty. "Polling is being held in 18 constituencies of Chhattisgarh today, they are Left Wing Extremism affected area. Polls being held in 2 phases to provide special security in these 18 constituencies. These 18 areas are kept in 1st phase so that paramilitary forces remain fresh," Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat said.
(Photo: ANI)
8. Polling time in 10 constituencies is from 7 am to 3 pm
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Polling time in 10 constituencies -- Mohla-Manpur, Antagarh, Bhanupratappur, Kanker, Keshkal, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur and Konta -- is from 7 am to 3 pm, due to the Naxal menace. In the remaining eight constituencies -- Khairgarh, Dongargarh, Rajnandgaon, Dongargaon, Khujji, Bastar, Jagdalpur and Chitrakot -- it is from 8 am till 5 pm. "Polling in nine constituencies of Bastar division and one in Rajnandgaon district has begun from 7 am and will conclude at 3 pm, while in the rest of the constituencies the polling time is from 8 am to 5 pm," a poll official said.
(Photo: ANI)
9. First phase of Chhattisgarh polls gets five all-women polling booths
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The Election Commission has set up five all-women polling booths called 'Sangwari' booths in various constituencies of Chhattisgarh to encourage women voters to exercise their franchise in the Assembly elections. As per electoral rolls, there are 31,80,014 voters. Women voters outnumber men for the first phase of polling, with 16,22,492 female voters on the rolls against 15,57,435 men. There are 87 third gender voters as well. As many as 4,336 polling booths have been set up and 19,079 polling personnel have been deployed for the first phase in which 190 candidates are in the fray.
(Photo: ANI)
10. Chief Minister Raman Singh among prominent candidates in first phase
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Among the prominent candidates who will try their electoral luck are Chief Minister Raman Singh (Rajnandgaon), state ministers Kedar Kashyap (Narayanpur) and Mahesh Gagda (Bijpaur), as well as BJPs Kanker Lok Sabha MP Vikram Usendi (Antagarh). In the first phase, the prestige of nine sitting Congress MLAs -Manoj Singh Mandavi (Bhanupratappur), Mohan Lal Markam (Kondagaon), Lakheshwar Baghel (Bastar), Deepak Kumar Baij (Chitrakot), Devati Karma (Dantewada), Kawasi Lakhma (Konta), Girwar Janghel (Khairagarh), Santram Netam (Keshkal) and Daleshwar Sahu (Dongargaon) is at stake.
(Photo: PTI)
11. IED was blasted by Naxals in Dantewada, no harm to security forces or poll officials
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1-2 kilograms of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was blasted by Naxals near Tumakpal camp in Katekalyan block in Dantewada. IED was triggered by Naxals on Tumakpal-Nayanar road at around 5:30 am to target security forces. The blast occurred when troops of 195 Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were approaching polling booth. No harm to security forces and polling party. Party safely reached to Nayanar polling booth No. 183 under PS Katekalyan, ANI reported.
(Photo: ANI)
12. Age no deterrent
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A 100-year-old woman reaches a polling station in Dornapal to cast her vote in the first phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections2018. Of the 18 seats going to polling in the first phase, 12 are reserved for Scheduled Tribe (ST) while one is for Scheduled Caste (SC) category.
(Photo: ANI)
13. Raman Singh eyeing fourth term as Chhattisgarh Chief Minister
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Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh is eyeing his fourth term after already having ruled Chhattisgarh for a record 15 years in of its 18-year history. In its manifesto, the BJP has promised to make Chhattisgarh a "Naxal-free" state and give pension to small and marginal farmers. It also promised to set up multi-speciality hospitals and take the state towards prosperity.
(Photo: PTI)
14. Rahul Gandhi's two-campaign campaign push in Chhattisgarh
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Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has alleged that the Prime Minister and Raman Singh did not do any work without "permission" from their "industrial friends". Hours before the campaign for the first phase polling on November 12 was to end, Gandhi told a rally that Modi, who projected himself as the "chowkidar" (watchman) of the country's resources, changed the fighter aircraft deal negotiated by the erstwhile UPA government to benefit his industrialist friend.
(Photo: PTI)
15. BSF jawan was killed on Sunday in IED blast
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A BSF personnel was killed when Naxals detonated an IED, while a Maoist was gunned down in an encounter with police in separate incidents in Chhattisgarh on Sunday. Inspector General of Police (Raipur range) Dipanshu Kabra told PTI that a team of the Border Security Force (BSF) was out on an area domination operation in view of the polls on Monday when Naxals blew up the improvised explosive device (IED) in a forest in Kanker district, around 200 km from the state capital Raipur. BSF sub-inspector Mahendra Singh was seriously injured in the blast and he succumbed to injuries while being taken to a hospital, said Kabra, who is the nodal officer for election-related security in the state.
(Photo: ANI)
16. 4 civilians, one CISF jawan were killed in Dantewada district on Nov 8
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Four civilians and a CISF jawan were killed when suspected Naxals blew up a bus with an improvised explosive device (IED) in Dantewada district on Nov 8. Two personnel of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) were also injured in the explosion, the third Naxal attack in 15 days in the poll-bound state.
(Photo: PTI)
17. 16.24% voter turnout recorded
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16.24% voter turnout recorded till now in the first phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections for 18 assembly constituencies. Visuals of polling centers in Jagdalpur.
(Photo: ANI)
16.24% voter turnout recorded till now in the first phase of #ChhattisgarhAssemblyElections2018 in 18 assembly constituencies; Visuals of polling centers in Jagdalpur and Geedam pic.twitter.com/3kySeF4nfe
— ANI (@ANI) November 12, 2018
18. 56.58% turnout at 4.30 pm
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At 4.30 pm, 56.58% voter turout was recorded in the first phase of the elections. This included 61.47% in Kondagaon; 63.51% in Keshkal; 62% in Kanker; 58% in Bastar; 49% in Dantewada; 60.5% in Khairagarh; 64% in Dongargarh; 65.5% in Khujji. - PTI
19. 70% turnout in Phase 1
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Voting has ended, turnout is 70% till now in the first phase of Chhattisgarh Elections 2018. Figures will be updated later, informed Umesh Sinha, Election Commission. Only one percent of EVM and 1.9 percent VVPATs were changed, added Sudeep Jain, Election Commission
