Assembly elections 2023: Chhattisgarh sees 71% voter turnout amid violence incidents, Mizoram 77%

Assembly Elections 2023: The voting in Chhattisgarh for the first phase in 20 constituencies and Mizoram for the single phase in all 40 seats concluded on Tuesday. While Chhattisgarh witnessed sporadic incidents of violence in Sukma, Narayanpur, Bijapur and Kanker districts during voting, Mizoram experienced a peaceful polling. 

A high voter turnout of 71.48 per cent (provisional) was recorded in Chhattisgarh and Mizoram also saw good numbers with 77 per cent voter turnout. The votes will be counted on December 3.

Voting in Chhattisgarh 

The polling in Chhattisgarh was held in separate time slots due to security reasons amid Naxalite violence and call for a boycott. The voting for 10 constituencies was held from 7 am to 3 pm and from 8 am to 5 pm in the remaining segments under a thick security blanket of police and paramilitary personnel in the Naxalite-hit Bastar division.

The opposition BJP and ruling Congress are the main contenders for power in Chhattisgarh, where nearly 1 lakh security personnel were deployed on duty for the first phase of polls that covered 20 of the total 90 assembly seats in the state.

"An average voter turnout of 71.48 per cent was recorded in the first phase of the Chhattisgarh elections on Tuesday. However, this figure may go up as the final data from several booths was yet to be received," a poll official said.

Bhanupratappur recorded the highest turnout at 79.1 per cent.

Here are voting turnout constituency-wise

• Antagarh (78.04 per cent)
• Dongargarh (77.4 per cent) 
• Dongargaon (76.8 per cent)
• Khairagarh (76.31 per cent)
• Kondagaon (76.29 per cent)
• Kanker (76.13 per cent)
• Mohla-Manpur (76 per cent)
• Jagdalpur (75 per cent)
• Kawardha (74.89 per cent)
• Keshkal (74.49 per cent)
• Rajnandgaon (74 per cent)
• Pandariya (73.67 per cent)
• Khujji (72.01 per cent)
• Bastar (71.39 per cent) 
• Chitrakot (70.36 per cent)
• Dantewada (67.71 per cent)
• Narayanpur (63.88 per cent)
• Konta (50.12 per cent)
• Bijapur (40.98 per cent).

223 candidates in the race in first phase

A total of 223 candidates, including 25 women, were in the fray and as per electoral rolls, 40,78,681 voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in the first phase.

Key candidates in the first phase

After the end of voting, the electoral fate of former chief minister and BJP leader Raman Singh, Chhattisgarh Congress president and MP Deepak Baij, and at least three ministers in the Bhupesh Baghel cabinet was locked in Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Raman Singh was pitted against Congress leader and Chhattisgarh State Mineral Development Corporation chairman Girish Dewangan in Rajnandgaon. Singh voted in his home town Kawardha.

Violence incidents during polling

Four security personnel were injured in an encounter with Naxalites in the Chintagufa police station area of Sukma district, while a CRPF commando sustained injuries in an IED blast near Tondamarka camp in the same district during separate area domination operations to ensure security during the polls, police said.

Exchanges of fire also took place between Naxalites and security personnel -- one each in Narayanpur, Bijapur and Kanker districts.
However, no harm was reported to security personnel in those incidents, police said.

Voting in Mizoram for all 40 seats

All 40 assembly seats in the northeastern state Mizoram went for polls in a single phase. The Mizoram assembly elections passed off peacefully with over 77 per cent of 8.57 lakh electors exercising their franchise, officials said.
Accoriding to EC sources, the voting percentage is likely to touch 80 per cent as final reports are yet to come from far-flung districts. 

Additional chief electoral officer H Lianzela said a 6 pm, 77.39 per cent voter turnout was recorded. In the 2018 state polls, the overall voter turnout was 81.61 per cent.

Polling in all the 1,276 polling stations was peaceful, the official said, adding 174 candidates, including 18 women, are in the fray.

Aizawl district witnessed the lowest turnout of 73.09 per cent. South Mizoram's Siaha (76.41) and Saitual (75.12) also posted lower voting percentages compared to others, ECI data said.

Political scenario in Mizoram

The ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), main opposition Zoram People's Movement (ZPM) and the Congress have fielded candidates in all 40 seats. The BJP is contesting 23 constituencies, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has nominated candidates in four assembly segments.
Besides, there are 27 independent candidates. Poll pundits said the this year's polls is a straight fight between the MNF and ZPM.

In the 2018 polls, the MNF had won 26 of the 40 seats, securing two more in subsequent bypolls, while the opposition ZPM had won eight constituencies, relegating Congress, which had bagged five assembly segments, to third place. The BJP had opened its account in the Christian-majority state, winning one seat.

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