Chhattisgarh Assembly polls: Record 75% turnout in second phase

75 per cent polling in Phase II of Chhattisgarh assembly election, the highest ever in the state, says Election Commission

Zee Media Bureau

Raipur: 75 percent polling in Phase II of Chhattisgarh assembly election was recorded on Tuesday, according to the Elections Commission. It also said that it was the highest ever in the state. While the second phase of polling today recorded 74.7 per cent polling, the first phase of elections in the Naxal- affected areas of Bastar in the state in which 18 constituencies went to polls on November 11 witnessed 75.53 per cent. The state recorded a voter turnout of 71.09 per cent in the 2008 assembly elections. "It was a peaceful poll marked by very impressive turnout. Barring one incident, polling was very peaceful in the second phase of elections in which 72 constituencies went to polls today...The voter tunrout is the highest-ever so far," Deputy Election Commissioner R Balakrishnan told reporters in Delhi. A man was killed and two others were injured in firing by CRPF personnel at Bhindarwani polling booth of Saja assembly constituency in Bemetara district this afternoon following a scuffle with a group of people. There was heavy polling in a few assembly constituencies, including Marwahi. Congress leader Ajit Jogi`s son Amit Jogi is contesting from Marwahi that recorded in excess of 40 percent voting by noon. Meanwhile, EVMs were changed at around 10 polling stations due to some technical problems, he said. State Governor Shekhar Dutt exercised his franchise in Raipur city north seat where BJP`s Srichand Sundarani and Congress`s sitting MLA Kuldeep Singh Juneja are locked in a close contest. A total of 843 candidates are contesting in the last of the two-phase polls to the 90-member Assembly in the state, where BJP government led by Chief Minister Raman Singh is eyeing for a hat-trick against the Congress. Over one lakh security force personnel had been deployed across the state to ensure peaceful polling, the official said. Polling is underway in central and north Chhattisgarh, where 72 each from the BJP and Congress, are contesting. Security forces had been directed to stay alert in some districts of Sarguja and Raipur division located on inter-state border, where frequent movement of Naxals had been witnessed. Key Candidates & Constituencies: State Assembly Speaker Dharamlal Kaushik (Bilha), Home Minister Nanki Ram Kanwar (Rampur), School Education Minister Brijmohan Agrawal (Raipur City South), Housing and Environment Minister Rajesh Munat (Raipur City West), Health Minister Amar Agrawal (Bilaspur), Water Resources Minister Ramvichar Netam (Ramanujganj), Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Hemchand Yadav (Durg City), Agriculture Minister Chandrashekhar Sahu (Abhanpur), Punnulal Mohile (Mungeli) and Revenue and Rehabilitation Minister Dayaldas Baghel (Nawagarh) BJP`s Ramsewak Paikra (Pratappur), Leader of Opposition Ravindra Choubey (Saja), Renu Jogi, wife of the former chief minister Ajit Jogi, (Kota), son of late PCC chief Nandkumar Patel, Umesh Patel (Kharsiya) and Ajit Jogi`s son Amit (Marwahi) among others. With PTI inputs