MP: 39.76 pc voting till 2 PM, poll boycott at few seats

A total 39.76 per cent voters exercised their right to franchise till 2 PM today in Madhya Pradesh, where polling is underway for 10 Lok Sabha seats in the second phase, amid reports of poll boycott in a few seats on the issue of development and minor skirmishes.
Out of 39.76 per cent turnout, 47.08 per cent of electorate who have cast their vote are men and 31.23 per cent are women.
Poll boycott was going on in Bhuri Shahpur village under Damoh constituency on the issue of development works not being started, and at Nayagaon area that falls under Gwalior constituency in Datia district on the issue of construction of road.

"Voters at Lahar Assembly polling centre at Kacharia in Bhind stayed away from the process on the issue of basic amenities, while their counterparts in Bhikampur area, also in Bhind, boycotted voting in the protest on the issue of road and compensation," Madhya Pradesh's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Jaideep Govind told reporters.
Efforts are on to persuade villagers to take part in the electoral exercise, he said.
The polling percentage till 2 P.M.M in ten constituencies is: Morena (32.26%), Bhind (28%), Gwalior (36.99%), Guna (45.66%), Sagar (48.99%), Tikamgarh (38.21%), Damoh (41.29%), Khajuraho (35.47%), Bhopal (37.58%) and Rajgarh (55.37%), officials said.

"A total of 170 model polling stations are set up in these ten constituencies, and they are decorated (so as) to give them a festive look," the CEO said.
Meanwhile, reports of stone pelting were received from Bhind's Moroli polling centre following a poll-related dispute. However, the district administration there immediately brought the situation under control and normalcy restored.
In Rajgarh, polling agents have clashed over a trivial matter but police pacified them and brought the situation under control, he added.