73.6 pc voter turnout in MP's 6 Lok Sabha seats amid EVM snags

A high voter turnout of 73.61 per cent was recorded in the six Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh that went to the polls Monday amid EVM glitches in some areas, an official said.

A total of 1.05 crore people were eligible to vote in the six seats, of which an estimated 73.61 per cent per cent exercised their franchise, the Election Commission (EC) said in its update provided at 10 pm.

The Chhindwara Lok Sabha constituency, where Chief Minister Kamal Nath's son, Nakul, is in the fray as the Congress candidate, topped in turnout at 80.53 per cent.

Chhindwara was followed by Naxal-hit Balaghat (76.96 per cent), Mandla (76.90 per cent), Shahdol (75.04 per cent), Jabalpur (69.37 per cent) and Sidhi (64.16 per cent).

In the bypoll to the Chhindwara assembly segment, from where Nath is contesting, voter turnout stood at 65.15 per cent.

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) V L Kantha Rao said during a mock poll (which takes place ahead of polling), electronic voting machines (EVMs) were replaced at 207 booths due to some glitches.

However, 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, Rao said.

At two places under the Sidhi constituency, locals threatened to boycott 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."