Over 75 percent polling in 11 urban bodies elections in Chhattisgarh

Raipur: A high voter turnout of over 75 per cent was recorded in eleven urban bodies in Chhattisgarh where polling was held amid tight security on Monday.

The polling was held in one municipal corporation, four municipal councils and six nagar panchayats to elect a mayor, ten presidents of municipal councils and nagar panchayats, and 241 corporators.

"75.11 per cent of 6,20,110 voters exercised their franchise in 11 civics bodies, including Bhilai municipal corporation, today," State Election Commissioner, PC Dalei told reporters.

He said the polling was by and large peaceful barring a few minor incidents. "Polling parties have started returning to their fold," Dalei added.

The polling was held in Bhilai Municipal Corporation, apart from four municipal councils namely Jamul in Durg district, Khairagarh in Rajnandgaon, Baikunthpur and Shivpur-Charcha in Korea district.

The nagar panchayats that went for polls were Maro in Bemetara, Konta in Sukma, Bhairamgarh and Bhopalpatanam in Bijapur, Narharpur in Kanker and Premnagar in Surajpur district. "Bhilai municipal corporation recorded an average voters turnout of 57 per cent. As many as 821?polling?booths was set up for the polling where voting was conducted through electronic voting machines (EVM)," he said.

The polling was held from 7 AM till 3 PM in the urban bodies situated in naxal-infested areas including Konta, Bhairamgarh, Bhopalpattanam and Narharpur, and between 8 AM and 5 PM in other. The fate of?1,064 candidates was locked in the EVMs and the results will be announced on December 31.

"Besides, a turnout of 80.64 per cent was recorded in eight wards of six Nagar Panchayats that went to the by-poll today," he added.

In the prominent Bhilai Municipal Corporation, 38 candidates are in the fray for the post of Mayor and 394 for the post of corporators wherein a straight fight is expected between the ruling BJP and Congress. BJP has fielded its Vaishali Nagar MLA, Vidyaratan Bhasin for Mayoral post in Bhilai.

But, he may face a tough challenge from the Congress' young face Devendra Yadav. Congress had put up a good show in the civic body polls held in December 2014, winning four out of ten municipal corporations while the ruling BJP could bag four, ceding two. The rest of two seats were won by independent candidates, including a eunuch candidate.