Chhattisgarh: Phase-1 sees 67% voting

Heavy polling in Dantewada, the epicentre of Naxal violence, had a voting turnout of 67%

The first phase of Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh on Monday saw 67 per cent polling, state electoral officials said.

Fourteen booths in Konta saw no voting. Some minor incidences of Naxal violence were reported.

Of the 18 constituencies in the first phase, most of these in Naxal zones, Bastar had 12 seats. But the rebel-affected zone recorded about 62 per cent polling. Heavy polling in Dantewada, the epicentre of Naxal violence, stunned observers. The constituency registered a voting turnout of 67 per cent against the 55 per cent recorded in the 2008 elections. (ASSET WATCH)

The overall percentage was likely to increase as many polling parties posted in interior areas had not returned to the base camp as this paper went to print.

To avoid a Naxal attack, the polling parties had been instructed to stay at the nearest police station. They would be airlifted on Tuesday.

In Naxal-hit Konta constituency, preliminary reports said, 40 per cent polling was recorded. The 2008 elections had seen 43 per cent polling here.

Konta is one of the constituencies where accessibility to interior areas was a major issue.

Bijapur saw 24 per cent polling, against 29.89 per cent in the previous election. In Rajnandgaon district’s Mohala-Maanpur constituency, considered to be the worst hit by the insurgency, more than 75 per cent polling was recorded.

The rebels, however, were not completely quiet. “But they did not succeed as security personnel and citizens did an exemplary job,” Director-General of Police Ramniwas said. A large number of live mines were recovered due to tips off by villagers, he added.

Election officials could not reach two polling booths in Koyalibeda area of Antagarh constituency. “While one party was obstructed by a mine explosion, another came under heavy fire,” an election official said. The constituency recorded about 60 per cent polling. In Dantewada’s Katekalyan, rebels fired at security personnel deployed in a booth. A Central Reserve Police Force trooper, V C Joseph, was killed. The incident disrupted polling for a while.

Senior police officers said heavy deployment of force made a big difference. More than 100,000 troopers from the central paramilitary forces were pushed into the red zone to ensure free and fair elections.