Heavy turnout in 2nd phase in Chhattisgarh

Raipur, Nov 20 (UNI) Heavy turnout of voters have been witnessed in the second phase of polling in Chhattisgarh and till 15 hours almost 55 per cent of the electorate have voted in 51 assembly constituencies today.

Except for some isolated incidents of dispute between rival political parties, voters and securitymen, the polling was peaceful.

An incident of pelting of stone on the convoy of former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi was also reported at Marwahi in Bilaspur district.

In Bilaspur, there was some dispute between the voters and policemen in couple of booths of Ambedkar Nagar and Sarkanda locality.

State election office here said that the polling was peaceful and the poll percentage might cross 70 per cent.

The polling was underway in a smooth manner and not a single incident of violence was reported from anywhere.

In the first phase of elections for 39 seats on November 14, the poll per cent was around 70 while the voting in naxalite-affected Bastar division was nearly just over 50 per cent.

However, the Election Commission taking some stern action has suspended a sector magistrate Ajay Mishra in Surajpur area of Premnagar assembly constituency in Sarguja district for dereliction of duty. Similary 56 polling personnel were also suspended in Korba for poll irregularities.

According to reports received from Raigarh, voters of five polling booths in Bayasi under Dharamjaigarh constituency, were boycotting the polls in protest against non-development of their area.

Meanwhile, two presiding officers deployed in the election process in Raipur district died today due to heart attack.

Presiding officer Pyare Lal Dhruv, who was posted at Telibandh booth of Raipur North constituency, died of heart attack early this morning. Another presiding officer K K Jena, who was incharge of Gariabandh booth in Rajim Assembly segment, died of massive heart attack just before the polling started.

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