63 pc voting in MP till 5 pm

An average 63 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 5 pm across six Lok Sabha constituencies in Madhya Pradesh Monday, an official said.

The polling began at 7 am, and barring a few Naxal-affected areas in Balaghat, will continue till 6 pm.

"An average 63 per cent turnout was recorded till 5 pm," an election official said.

Voting figures till 5 pm were as follows: Sidhi- 47.76 per cent, Shahdol- 64.89 per cent, Jabalpur- 64.05 per cent, Mandla 64.54 per cent, Balaghat 66.88 per cent and Chhindwara- 71.71 per cent.

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the state V L Kantha Rao said that during a mock-poll, electronic voting machines (EVMs) were replaced at 207 polling booths as some glitches were found. The polling started on time after the machines were replaced, he added.

EVMs were also replaced at 106 polling booths due to malfunctioning after the voting began.

At two places under the Sidhi constituency, locals threatened to boycot polling but officials persuaded them to vote, he said to a question.

Asked about BJP candidate from Sidhi, Riti Pathak, reportedly receiving a threat, Rao said, "The district collector has been asked to take action."