Photogallery: 5 crore voters to decide fate of 2907 candidates in Madhya Pradesh assembly polls

The polling for 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly began on Wednesday morning. The voting began at 8 am and will continue till 5 pm in 227 seats, while in three assembly segments in the Naxal-affected Balaghat district - Lanji, Paraswada and Baihar - voting timings are from 7 am to 3 pm. Nearly 50% voter turnout was recorded till 3 pm. Around 745 EVMs and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines were replaced after complaints of technical snags, MP's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) VL Kantha Rao said. Following complaints of malfunctioning of EVMs, senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia demanded that the Election Commission make up for the time wasted in replacing faulty EVMs by extending the polling time in the booths concerned. (Image Courtesy: Piyush Babele)

As many as 2,899 candidates, including 1,094 independents, are in the fray for the 230 seats, but the main contest is between the Congress and BJP. The state has nearly 5.04 crore eligible voters. This high-stakes electoral battle will witness the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) eyeing a fourth straight term and Opposition Congress fighting for a comeback. The outcome of this Assembly elections could prove as a precursor to the Lok Sabha 2019 elections. Results will be declared on December 11. (Image Courtesy: Piyush Babele)

 

Parents of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan praying at Jait village, rendering prater at Narmada river ghat. (Image Courtesy: Piyush Babele)

Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who is the Bharatiya Janata Party's candidate from Budhni seat, and his wife Sadhana Singh cast their votes at his native village Jait, which is part of his Assembly constituency. Over three lakh government employees, including nearly 45,000 women, are on poll duty across the state. (Image Courtesy: Piyush Babele)

Images from Hoshanganbad polling stations. BJP's Dr Sitasharan Sharma is contesting against Congress' Sartaj Singh. (Image Courtesy: Piyush Babele)

As many as 1.80 lakh security personnel, including those drawn from central paramilitary forces, have also been deployed to ensure free and fair poll. (Image Courtesy: Piyush Babele)

The state has 5.04 crore eligible voters. (Image Courtesy: Piyush Babele)