Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections 2018: Amid Naxalite attack, EC's two-phase polling move in Chhattisgarh passed or failed?
Raman Singh-led BJP ruled Chhattisgarh is witnessing its Fifth assembly elections in the state for which the polling has been divided into two phases. The first phase of 18 constituencies seats of Naxals affected districts on 12 November and the second phase of remaining 72 out of 90 seats on 20 November, respectively sheduled. The Election Commission announced the polling dates on October 6 and said it has divided the voting for Chhattisgarh Assembly elections in two phases citing the Maoists threat during the polling and for security majors.
Following which over 1 lakh security personnel have been deployed in and out of the polling booths in the Naxals affected districts. The voters from the Chhattisgarh's red-belt areas of 13 constituencies seats affected by the presence of the outlawed Maoists like Kanker, Bastar, Dantewada, Jagdalpur and others were restricted from 7 am to 3 pm to cast votes under security umbrella on ground. And the five seats voters from Rajnandgaon, Khujji, Khairagarh, Dongargaon and Dongargarh casted their votes 8 AM to 5 PM.
However, on a sad nite, as the polling began, an IED blast attack plotted by Maoists took place in Dantewada in a move to scare the voters from casting their votes. Also, an encounter broke out between security forces & Naxals in Bijapur's Pamed area in which at least five Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) jawan injured, and around five Naxals were killed. Also, three IED detected near a polling booth in Sukma's Konta Banda and CRPF Bomb disposal squad disposed of it successfully.
Naxali posters & banners to divert people from voting:
Naxali posters & banners were distributed in the Naxals affected Manpur's Pardoni village and other areas asking people to boycott the elections, however, failed to stop voters as huge people turned to cast their votes.
Naxali posters & banners:
Interestingly, people queued up outside the polling station in the Manpur's Pardoni village to cast their vote, despite the Naxali posters were distributed to divert them from participating in the election.
The Naxals tried their luck hard to stop the pollings or bar the people in Dantewada's Madenda village too by threatening them to cut their fingers, if the ink seen on fingers. Though a huge voters turned out to cast their votes and fid not feared the threats.
Election Commission on security:
The Election Commission of India strictly directed to deploy extensive security arrangements and others to be arranged in and across the Naxal-affected areas of the Chhattisgarh. The high-level security for the Chhattisgarh's sensitive 'red-belt' areas were beefed up and it somehow succeed barring the Naxalites from interrupting the polling sessions.
More than 50% voters turned out amid threats:
More than 50% voters turned out amid threats:
Successfully, 56.58% voter turnout recorded till 4.30 pm in the first phase of Chhattisgarh assembly elections. including 61.47% in Kondagaon; 63.51% in Keshkal; 62% in Kanker; 58% in Bastar; 49% in Dantewada; 60.5% in Khairagarh; 64% in Dongargarh; 65.5% in Khujji.
The Polling for the second phase of the Chhattisgarh is scheduled on 20 November and the counting of votes will be done on 11 December along with Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Mizoram respectively.
First published: 12 November 2018, 18:03 IST
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