Over 76% voter turnout recorded in first phase of Chhattisgarh polls

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Raipur: More than 76 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the first phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly polls covering 18 assembly segments, a poll official said Tuesday. The 18 constituencies that went to polls on Monday were - Narayanpur, Dantewada, Bijapur, Konta, Mohla-Manpur, Antagarh, Bhanupratappur, Kanker, Keshkal, Kondagaon, Khairagarh, Dongargarh, Rajnandgaon, Dongargaon, Khujji, Bastar, Jagdalpur and Chitrakot.

"Chhattisgarh recorded 76.28 per cent polling in the first phase of elections held Monday," state Chief Electoral Officer Subrat Sahoo said in a press conference.

The highest polling percentage was recorded in Dongargaon (85.15), followed by Khujji (84.48), Khairagarh (84.31), Bastar (83.51), Kondagaon (82.84), Dongargarh (82.53), Keshkal (81.32), Chitrakot (80.31), Mohla-Manpur (80), Rajnandgaon (78.66), Kanker (78.54) Jagdalpur (78.24), Bhanupratappur (76.77), Antagarh (74.45), Narayanpur (74.40), Dantewada (60.62), Konta (55.30) and Bijapur47.35 per cent.

The ruling BJP had lost 12 of the 18 seats in the 2013 Assembly polls. The remaining 72 constituencies will witness polling on November 20 while the counting will take place on December 11.

A total of 1,291 candidates are in the fray for the two-phased state polls. In the 2013 Assembly polls, the BJP had won 49 seats, Congress 39, BSP 1 and Independent 1 in the 90-member House.

(With inputs from agencies)