Chhattisgarh assembly elections: 78% voter turnout recorded in first phase

A high turnout of 78 per cent was recorded in the first phase of the Chhattisgarh assembly elections across 20 constituencies on Tuesday, officials said.

It was slightly higher than the voting percentage recorded in the first phase of 2018 state assembly polls covering 18 seats, which was 76.47 per cent. On Tuesday, polling was held in 20 constituencies of seven districts of the naxal-affected Bastar division and four districts of Durg division.

Chhattisgarh recorded 78 per cent polling turnout in the first phase, the state's Chief Electoral Officer Reena Babasaheb Kangale said in a statement late in the evening. Overall 1.53 per cent increase in the turnout was recorded compared to 2018, she said.

The highest turnout was recorded in Bastar seat at 84.67 per cent followed by Dogargaon at 84.1 per cent, Khairagarh 82.67 per cent, Khujji 82.43 per cent, Kondgaon 82.37 per cent, Dongargarh 81.93 per cent, Keshkal 81.89 per cent, Chitrakot 81.76 per cent, Kawardha 81.24 per cent, Kanker 81.14 per cent, Bhanupratappur 81 per cent, Antagarh 79.79 per cent, Mohla-Manpur 79.38 per cent, Rajnandgaon 79.12 per cent, Jagdalpur 78.47 per cent, Pandariya 75.27 per cent , Narayanpur 75.06 per cent, Dantewada 69.88 per cent, Konta 63.14 per cent and Bijapur 48.37 per cent, the official said.

The first phase of polling has sealed the electoral fate of 223 candidates including state Congress chief and Bastar MP Deepak Baij, state ministers Kawasi Lakhma, Mohan Markam and Mohammad Akbar, former chief minister Raman Singh and four former state ministers.

BJP leader Raman Singh is contesting from Rajnandgaon where the Congress has fielded its senior OBC leader Girish Dewangan.

Remaining 70 seats will go to polls on November 17. Counting of votes will be held on December 3.