Lok Sabha polls: 60.22 percent polling in first phase in Vidarbha region

On Friday, a total of 21,527 ballot units, 13,963 control units and 14,755 VVPAT machines were put to use for the voting.

Gondia [Maharashtra], pr 19 (ANI): Police personnel assist an elderly women as she arrives to cast her vote during the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024, in Gondia on Friday. (ANI Photo)

Nearly 60.22 per cent of the 95 lakh eligible voters in eastern Vidarbha region exercised their franchise in the first phase of the general elections on Friday till 5pm.

Altogether, 97 candidates including Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, are in the fray in Nagpur, Ramtek (SC), Bhandara-Gondia, Chandrapur and Naxal-hit Gadchiroli-Chimur (ST) constituency, all located in eastern-most parts of the state.

As per the data shared by the Maharashtra chief electoral office, the voter turnout at Gadchiroli-Chimur constituency was 67.17 percent, highest among all the five constituencies. The lowest voter turnout was in Nagpur which was at 53.71 percent. While Chandrapur recorded a turnout of 60.03 per cent, Ramtek recorded 58.50 per cent and Bhandara-Gondia 64.08 percent till 5pm.

Story continues below this ad

While there was a straight fight between the Congress and BJP in four seats of Nagpur, Bhandara-Gondia, Gadchiroli-Chimur and Chandrapur, the fight was between CM Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Congress in the fifth seat of Ramtek.

In 2019, the BJP had won three–Gadchiroli-Chimur, Bhandara-Gondia and Nagpur–seats. The undivided Shiv Sena and Congress had won Ramtek and Chandrapur respectively.

On Friday, a total of 21,527 ballot units, 13,963 control units and 14,755 VVPAT machines were put to use for the voting.

An official said to avoid any snags cropping up in Electronic Voting Machines in remote polling booths in Gadchiroli, three spare EVMs were dispatched by a helicopter to the Sironcha area of the district