Restive Bastar records about 50% polling

About 50 per cent people exercised their franchise to elect its representative to Parliament from the red zone as Bastar went to the polls Thursday with no major incident of violence reported from any part of the region.

The election office said the figure was tentative and would vary once the parties returned from the interior areas.

Following election commission guidelines, the polling time was changed in Bastar and people cast their vote from 7 am to 3 pm. This time was curtailed to facilitate polling parties to safely return to the headquarters from the interior areas where the Naxals dominate. Many parties had been air-lifted before dusk.

In all, 1767 polling booths were set up in Bastar Lok Sabha constituency. Of it, 666 booths were identified as hyper sensitive. Reports reaching from Bastar said that low polling was reported in many red zones in Bijapur, Dantewada and Narayanpur.

However, heavy polling was recorded in the Naxal den where security forces were sufficient in number. In Mardum, about 70 per cent polling was expected. For, heavy security deployment was made in the area that the rebels called as its “liberated zone”.

G P Singh, Inspector General of Police and Nodal officer for the elections, had observed that deployment of force created a feeling of security among people and they turn up in large number to cast votes.

When the last report came in, about 50 per cent polling was reported in the constituency spread over six districts. According to officials, lowest polling was recorded in Sukma where 22 per cent people exercised their franchise. In Bijapur 23 per cent, Dantewada 37 per cent, Narayanpur 45 per cent, Kondagaon 24.6 per cent and Bastar 67 per cent polling was reported.