In Chhattisgarh, about 75 per cent of voting has been recorded in 72 constituencies that went to the polls in the second and final phase today. Brisk balloting has been reported from semi urban and rural areas. In the 2008 polls, nearly 71 per cent voters had cast their votes in these 72 constituencies. Today voters of two villages in Sarangarh constituency of Raigarh district have boycotted the polls protesting against lack of development in their areas.

Barring stray incidents of clashes at different places, polling remained by and large peaceful. Polling in the Maoist affected areas also passed off peacefully. No major untoward incident has been reported from anywhere.

Completing the process of second and final phase of polling, voters in 72 assembly segments today decided the fate of 843 candidates, including 75 women, in a close contest.

Electoral fortunes of assembly speaker Dharamlal Kaushik, leader of the opposition Ravindra Choubey, nine ministers in the BJP government, and former chief minister Ajit Jogi’s wife and son were sealed in micro-chips of electronic voting machines.

The battle for power between the Congress and the BJP is being seen as close this time too as the BJP had retained power in 2008 with a slender margin of just one and a half per cent votes over the Congress. People’s verdict will now come only on December eight, when counting will take place.

Highest ever polling of 74.70 percent has been recorded in 72 seats in the second phase of Chhattisgarh assembly elections today.

Briefing reporters in New Delhi this evening, Deputy Election Commissioner, R Balakrishnan said that the polling was very peaceful in all constituencies, except two incidents of violence in Bemetara district in which one person killed and 14 injured. He said that the Commission had made elaborate arrangements for free and fair elections in the state. 75.53 percent voting was recorded in the first phase of Assembly elections in the state