18 out of 90 assembly constituencies in Chhattisgarh went to vote in the first phase of elections held today. The voter turnout, especially in the Naxal-affected ‘Red Corridor’ was very encouraging. Despite the threats and call to boycott polls, 70% voters came out to vote.
At 4:30 pm, overall voter turnout percentage was 56.58%. Voter turnout was 61.47% in Kondagaon, 63.51% in Keshkal, 62% in Kanker, 58% in Bastar, 49% in Dantewada, 60.5% in Khairagarh, 64% in Dongargarh, 64.19% in Dongargaon and 65.5% in Khujji.
Amidst the scenes of horror, there were a few heartwarming scenes. Differently-abled voters braved the threats to come out and vote.
Rajnandgaon: Differently-abled person casts his vote at a polling booth in Motipur. #ChhattisgarhAssemblyElections2018 pic.twitter.com/hKNTDVY2GE
— ANI (@ANI) November 12, 2018
Dantewada: A differently-abled person reaches Chintagupha polling booth to cast his vote in the first phase of #ChhattisgarhAssemblyElections2018 pic.twitter.com/Gcr545vs0B
— ANI (@ANI) November 12, 2018
A makeshift booth was set up under a tree after an IED was detected near a polling booth.
Sukma: An IED was detected near a polling booth in Konta’s Banda. Pictures of voters queued outside a makeshift polling booth established under a tree, away from the actual polling booth. #ChhattisgarhAssemblyElections2018 pic.twitter.com/kIK498ZRG2
— ANI (@ANI) November 12, 2018
A visually impaired voter caste his vote in Naxal-affected Dantewada.
#ChhattisgarhElections2018: A visually impaired person casts his vote at a polling station in Dantewada’s Geedam pic.twitter.com/1ZtBqolhiM
— ANI (@ANI) November 12, 2018
These women did not let their age come in between their duty to vote.
Sukma: A 100-year-old woman reaches a polling station in Dornapal to cast her vote in the first phase of #ChhattisgarhAssemblyElections2018 pic.twitter.com/A8W8zxpcxf
— ANI (@ANI) November 12, 2018
Sukma: 103-year-old woman Soni Bai exercised her voting rights at a polling booth in Gorgunda’s Devarpalli. His son carried her to the polling station in his arms. #ChhattisgarhAssemblyElections2018 pic.twitter.com/dIJk9kXrRN
— ANI (@ANI) November 12, 2018
Voters in Muchnar village in Naxal-affected Dantewada crossed the river Indravati to cast their vote.
निर्वाचन 2018 – सुगम, सुघ्घर, समावेशी!
लोकतंत्र के महापर्व #छत्तीसगढ़चुनाव2018 में शामिल होने @DantewadaDist के मुचनार गांव के ग्रामीणों ने इंद्रावती नदी पार कर मतदान किया। #ChhattisgarhVotes #ChhattisgarhElections@SpokesPersonECI pic.twitter.com/7B6VuPCdOJ— CEO Chhattisgarh (@CEOChhattisgarh) November 12, 2018
The voting concluded at 5:30 pm and the polling agents were airlifted from the booths to the main office. The process of airlifting polling agents began at around 4 pm. All polling agents and polling material has been safely received at main office. Heavy security is deployed at the strong room where the VVPAT machines will be kept.
The second phase of voting in Chhattisgarh will take place on 20th November and the results will be declared on 11th December.
