In the initial phase of general elections in Madhya Pradesh, six Lok Sabha constituencies, including the notable Chhindwara, experienced a voter turnout surpassing 63%. The polling, conducted on Friday, unfolded peacefully, as per official reports.
Chhindwara achieved the highest participation with a turnout of 73.85%, trailed by Balaghat at 71.08%, Mandla at 68.96%, Shahdol at 60.40%, Jabalpur at 56.74%, and Sidhi at 51.56%. Overall, the cumulative turnout stood around 63.5%.
Voting in Baihar and Paraswada assembly segments in the insurgency-stricken Balaghat took place from 7 am to 4 pm due to security concerns. Notably, one center in Baihar witnessed full voter turnout, with all 80 registered voters casting their ballots.
Prominent figures like former Chief Minister Kamal Nath, his son Nakul Nath (a candidate for the Chhindwara LS seat), and their respective spouses exercised their franchise early on.
Apart from Chhindwara, another significant seat contested in this phase was Mandla (ST), where the incumbent MP and Union Minister Faggan Singh Kulaste is seeking re-election.
Among the 29 parliamentary constituencies in Madhya Pradesh, polling occurred in Shahdol, Mandla (both reserved for Scheduled Tribes), Jabalpur, Balaghat, Chhindwara, and Sidhi during this phase, covering 13 districts and 47 assembly segments.
Polling commenced at 7 am and concluded at 6 pm in most areas. However, due to security reasons, Baihar, Lanji, and Paraswada assembly segments in the Balaghat constituency saw voting from 7 am to 4 pm.
A total of 88 candidates, including seven women, contested across the six constituencies. Jabalpur registered the highest number of contenders with 19, while Shahdol had the least, with ten candidates in the fray.
Out of the 13,588 polling booths, 1,118 were managed by women officials. The voter base across the six constituencies comprised 1,13,09,636 registered voters, including 57,20,780 males, 55,88,669 females, and 187 transgender individuals.
To address the hot weather conditions, arrangements for shelter, water, and oral rehydration solution (ORS) were made at polling booths. Additionally, a helicopter and an air ambulance were stationed in the Naxal-affected Balaghat district and Jabalpur for any emergencies.
Madhya Pradesh witnessed a 77.82% voter turnout in the November 2023 assembly elections and a 61.57% turnout in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The percentage surged to 71.16% in the 2019 general elections.
Polling for the remaining 23 seats in Madhya Pradesh will be conducted in three subsequent phases on April 26, May 7, and May 13. In 2019, the ruling BJP secured 28 out of 29 Lok Sabha seats in the state and aims to clinch the Chhindwara seat, previously held by the Congress.
Follow us
