Bhopal, Nov 17 : An estimated 45.40 percent largely-peaceful voting was recorded till 1 pm on Friday in the heartland state of Madhya Pradesh where a single-phase exercise of franchise is underway amid tight security arrangements across all 230 Assembly constituencies vis-à-vis formation of the state’s 16th Vidhan Sabha.
A few stray clashes were reported from Chambal division’s Bhind and Morena districts but the situations were rapidly brought under control owing to timely intervention by law-enforcement authorities.
Official sources provided the district-wise polling break-up as Agar-Malwa 52.73 percent, Alirajpur 39.65, Anuppur 45.45, Ashoknagar 48.97, Balaghat 54.47, Barwani 43.28, Bhind 40.86, Bhopal 32.83, Chhindwara 48.80, Dewas 50.43, Jabalpur 40.25, Indore 37.42, Neemuch 53.51 and Shajapur 54.24 percent. This is inclusive but not exhaustive.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his family voted at their native village Jait in Sehore district. Union Civil Aviation and Steel Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia did likewise in Gwalior; Home Minister Narottam Mishra cast his vote in Datia district, erstwhile CM Kamal Nath in Chhindwara and BJP General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya in Indore.
The time limits are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. with the exception of certain polling centres in Leftwing extremism-affected Balaghat, Dindori and Mandla districts where voting will cease at 3 p.m.
An electorate exceeding 5.60 crore – including more than 2.71 crore women and 1,292 of the third gender – is eligible to participate in the democratic exercise at 64,626 polling centres – including 17,032 critical ones – to decide the fortunes of 2,533 nominees including 252 females and one member of the third gender.
A total of 1,316 vulnerable areas were identified. Monitoring through webcasting and closed-circuit television have been arranged at more than 42,000 centres.
The ruling BJP and the principal-opposition Congress have fielded their representatives for all seats whereas other figures include Bahujan Samaj Party 181; Samajwadi Party 71 and 1,166 independents.
Among the prominent contestants are Chief Minister Chouhan (Budhni), Congress state head Kamal Nath (Chhindwara), Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar (Dimani), Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti and Food-Processing Industries Prahalad Singh Patel (Narsinghpur), Union MoS for Steel and Rural Development Faggansingh Kulaste (Niwas) and Mr Vijayvargiya (Indore-1).
Counting is slated for December 3.
