Raipur, November 12
Making it very loud and crystal clear that change could only be brought with ballot not bullets, over 60.49 percent turnout of voters was witnessed in first phase of election held in 18 constituencies of insurgency-hit Bastar division and Rajnandgaon district today.
The 18 constituencies has recorded 60.49 percent turnout, said said Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Subrat Sahoo, elaborating that this is interim figure, voting percentage may increase in final report.
The final voting reports were yet to be arrived from all the constituencies, said the CEO while addressing media in Raipur this evening.
The officer further added that the 10 constituencies, where polling time was 7 am to 3 pm, witnessed 52 percent turnout till 3 pm whereas in rest of the 8 constituencies polling percentage was 70.08.
Notably, a surrendered naxal couple identified as Mainuram and his wife Rajbatti, who were linked with Kiskodo Local Organisation Squad of the banned outfit, exercised their voting right in Narayanpur.
Village Palam Adgu in worst naxal-hit Sukma district, which witnessed polling for first time after 15 years, has witnessed turnout of 44 voters. Likewise, polling was held for the first time in restive village Nilawaya (which witnessed naxal ambush recently killing two security personnel and a DD News cameraman) and Moolar in Dantewada district where 19 and 10 voters respectively have casted votes.
The Chintagufa polling booth under Konta assembly constituency recorded 68 per cent turnout, pointed the officer.
Due to naxal problem, a polling booth was shifted to another village in naxal-hit Kanker district.
As many as 53 ballot unit, 47 control unit and 84 VVPATs of EVMs were replaced due to technical snag, informed the CEO.
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