C'garh polls: Notification issued for 1st phase, no nomination

No nomination papers were filed Tuesday for the first phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly polls after the process for filing them began with the issuance of a notification in this regard, a statement from the Chief Electoral Officer said.

The state will have polls in two phases on November 12 and November 20 and votes will be counted on December 11.

The first phase of polling covers 18 seats spread across eight naxal-affected districts-Bastar, Bijapur, Dantewada, Sukma, Kondagaon, Kanker, Narayanpur and Rajnandgaon.

As per the notification issued Tuesday, the final date for filing nominations is October 23 and scrutiny of nominations would be completed the next day, adding that nominations can be withdrawn till October 26.

In the first phase, 31,79,520 voters, comprising 16,21,839 men, 15,57,592 women and 89 third-gender voters would be able to exercise their franchise.

As many as 4,336 polling booths have been set up for the first phase, the statement said.