Madhya Pradesh Elections: 74.61% Voter Turnout

Altogether 74.61 percent voters exercised their franchise in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections on Wednesday, 28 November. Madhya Pradesh witnessed a rise of around two per cent compared to the previous polls.

Congress leaders like Kamal Nath, Digvijay Singh and Jyotiraditya Scindia raised concerns over reports of faulty EVMs and VVPAT machines in some constituencies and appealed for a fair and impartial voting process.

While both Congress and BJP appeared confident of a victory, Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to take a jibe at the BJP government in the state and said “It’s time for change.”

In a one-on-one battle with the BJP, the Congress is looking to topple the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led government that has been in power for the past three terms.

As many as 1.80 lakh security personnel will be deployed to maintain peace and ensure free and fair voting during the Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls scheduled on 28 November, a senior official said on Monday.

State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) V L Kantha Rao said 3,00,782 government employees, including 45,904 women, have been deployed on poll duty at 65,367 booths set up across the state, which has a 230-member Assembly.

Addressing a press conference at the end of election campaigning in the state, he said 17,000 of these polling booths have been declared sensitive and additional vigil will be maintained on them.

In a panel discussion on Tuesday, 27 November, representatives from Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress discuss if Madhya Pradesh will vote for change of government.

The voting has begun in three Assembly segments in Naxal-affected Balaghat district — Lanji, Paraswada and Baihar. The voting time will be from 7 am to 3 pm.

The voting is scheduled to begin at 8 am in the remaining 227 constituencies.

BJP President Amit Shah took to Twitter to appeal to voters to vote in large numbers for a “prosperous Madhya Pradesh”.

Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath said that he has faith in the people of the state and that they have been robbed by the ruling BJP government in the state.

“I have full faith in the people of Madhya Pradesh, they are simple and innocent people who have been robbed for a long time by BJP,” he said.

Voting in all 230 constituencies began in Madhya Pradesh began on Wednesday at 8 am.

As voting begins in the state, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan prays on the banks of Narmada river in Budhni.

Congress leader Kamal Nath offers prayers at a Hanuman temple in Chhindwara.

Prime Minister Modi took to Twitter to appeal to the people of the state to vote in large numbers.

Congress leader Kamal Nath cast his vote in Chhindwara.

The EVM at polling booth number 178 in Dabra of Gwalior district has stopped working, reports ANI.

Madhya Pradesh Minister Yashodhara Raje Scindia cast her vote at a polling station in Shivpuri. She is up against Congress' Siddharth Lada.

CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, while speaking to CNN-News18, said this isn’t the toughest election of his career.

“This is not the toughest election of my career, it’s very comfortable. The BJP will win with majority, the people are excited to vote for us. You will see it on 11 December.”

Congress President Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to appeal to voters to vote in large numbers and said that “it’s time for change.”

First-time voters voted in Bhopal.

While two faulty EVMs in Ujjain were replaced, 11 VVPAT machines in Alirajpur, five VVPAT and two EVMs in Burhanpur were also replaced, according to ANI.

Police seizes campaign material from BJP's polling agents from a polling booth in Saint Mary's, Bhopal as it was within 200 meters of a polling booth. One person has been taken into custody.

Congress leader Jaivardhan Singh said that the party will emerge victorious in the state and that the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led government will fall.

A 101-year-old woman cast her vote in Agar Malwa.

One Election Commission (EC) official in Guna, and two in Indore have passed away due to cardiac arrest, ANI reported.

EC announced Rs 10 lakh each compensation for the kin of the officials.

Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia cast his vote.

Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said that the party will form the government in Madhya Pradesh after results are declared on 11 December.

“I assure you that on 11 December, Congress will form the government with the blessings of the people,” he said.

BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya on his way on a horse chariot to cast his vote in Indore.

6.32 percent voter turnout was recorded till 9am across 230 constituencies in MP.

Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said that he wrote to the Election Commission over EVM malfunctioning in some booths.

“There have been many complaints of EVMs malfunctioning, have written to Election Commission. Have requested that voting time in these polling booths should be extended to compensate for the delay,” he said.

21% voter turnout was recorded in Madhya Pradesh till 11 am, ANI reported.

Senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh trained guns at the BJP saying that the fault occured in constituencies where the voters favour Congress.

Singh took to Twitter to say that the Congress polling agents need to be careful in such constituencies.

Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat, commenting on the faulty EVM issue, said that there are provisions in place for such matters which do not necessarily need the Commission’s intervention.

“There are provisions for the extension of time, the local officers can take the call as they see fit. The matter does not need to be handled by the commission,” he said.

“There were few complaints on malfunction of some EVMs & VVPAT machines, they’ve been replaced. If it's observed that voters left due to malfunction, we can consider re-polling at that particular polling station,” he added.

A controversy erupted on Kamal Nath showed the party symbol on his palm after casting his vote in Chhindwara.

“I had already cast my vote. When people asked me when those from media asked me whom I have voted for I showed this (palm). What else could have I done? Show a lotus?” he said.

Around 27 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 1 pm on Wednesday during elections to the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly.

As many as 745 EVMs and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines were replaced on the day of voting in Madhya Pradesh, where voting for the Assembly elections is underway, a senior poll official said, reported PTI.

The announcement by state Chief Electoral Officer V L Kantha Rao came after Congress leaders claimed that EVMs at many places had malfunctioned.

"There have been several complaints that EVMs at many places malfunctioned. We have have written to the Election Commission and demanded that voting time in these polling booths should be extended to compensate for the delay," Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia said.

"Several reports are coming from across the state that EVMs are not working. This has been affecting the polling. Long queues are being witnessed in the city. EC should immediately take decision. The EVMs should be changed," state Congress chief Kamal Nath tweeted.

Responding to the demand, CEC O P Rawat said in Delhi that there are provisions for the extension of time and local officers (in Madhya Pradesh) can take the call on the matter.

Pradeep Singh Bhadauria, a polling agent of the Congress candidate in Mehgaon assembly constituency, was seriously injured after he was shot at, Hindustan Times reported. He was rushed to a hospital in Gwalior.

34.99% voter turnout recorded till 2 pm in Madhya Pradesh.

50% voter turnout recorded till 3 pm in Madhya Pradesh, office of Chief Electoral Officer confirmed.

Poll officials say 65.5 percent voter turnout has been recorded in Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections.

74.61% voter turnout was recorded till 6 pm in Madhya Pradesh. Voting is still underway.

“883 ballot units and 881 control units were replaced today. 2126 VVPATs were replaced during mock poll and during voting,” VL Kantha Rao, Chief Electoral Officer of Madhya Pradesh said.