Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram Election 2018 Highlights: Displaced Brus crossing over from Tripura to Kanhmun to cast their votes. (Source: CEO Mizoram)
Madhya Pradesh (MP), Mizoram Assembly Election 2018 Highlights: Voting for the state Assembly elections ended in Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram Wednesday evening. For the 230-member Madhya Pradesh assembly, it is largely a two-way contest between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress. BJP, a party that has been in power for 15 years and battling anti-incumbency, will be looking for a fourth term in a row while the Congress is hoping to cause an upset. Polling will begin at 8 am till 5 pm in 227 seats, while in three Assembly segments of Lanji, Paraswada and Baihar in the Naxal-affected Balaghat district, the voting time is between 7 am to 3 pm.
In Mizoram, the ruling Congress party will be eyeing a third consecutive term, the party has been in power in the state since 2008. The Congress and the main Opposition, the MNF, have fielded 40 candidates each, while the BJP is contesting in 39 seats for the 40-member Assembly. The voting process began at 7 am, amid tight security, and would continue till 4 pm, Chief Electoral Officer Ashish Kundra said. Borders with neighbouring countries — Myanmar and Bangladesh, and states — Tripura, Assam and Manipur, have been sealed in view of the polls.
The results will be declared on December 11 along with three other states.
About 71 per cent votes were cast at the end of polling in Mizoram, PTI quoted state Chief Electoral Officer Ashish Kundra.
Polling for the state Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh ended. A polling percentage of 65.5 per cent was recorded.
Three employees died due to health reasons while performing their poll duties since morning in Dhar, Indore and Guna districts, he said. The Chief Election commission officer said that at Gadhpura in Bhind district, a person was injured in violence but it was not poll-related. Over three lakh government employees, including nearly 45,000 women, are on poll duty across the state.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi Wednesday urged people in Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram to exercise their franchise in large numbers, saying "time for change" has come and electors should vote for prosperity and progress.
As many as 745 EVMs and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail machines were replaced Wednesday in Madhya Pradesh, where voting for the Assembly elections is underway, a senior poll official said.
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.
Nearly 54 per cent of voters exercised their franchise till 3 pm Wednesday in the Mizoram Assembly elections.
On instances of EVMs malfunctioning in Madhya Pradesh CEC O P Rawat 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."
CEC O P Rawat responds to Jyotiraditya Scindia's request that EC should extend polling time due to EVM malfunction. Rawat said, "There are provisions for extension of time at polling booths, the local officers can take the call as they see fit. The matter does not need to be handled by the commission."
Forty-two VVPATs, 25 ballot units and 19 control units were being replaced in various polling stations, the Chief Electoral Officer Ashish Kundra said. Bru voters from six relief camps in North Tripura district were arriving in batches at Kanhmun village, along the Mizoram-Tripura border, where 15 temporary polling stations have been set up.
Mizoram Elections 2018: Nodal officer Abhishek Kumar appointed for the special polling booths set up for Bru refugees at Kanhmun, said that 21 per cent of all Bru refugees cast their votes by 11 am in 15 polling booths which were used for nine assembly constituencies.
Madhya Pradesh recorded a voter turnout of 21% while Mizoram saw 29 per cent of polling till 11 am, reports ANI.
There have been many complaints of several EVMs malfunctioning, have written to the Election Commission on the issue. I have requested that voting time in these polling booths be extended to compensate for the delay: Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia
Around 70 Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) were replaced at various polling booths across the central state following complaints of technical snags, MP's Chief Electoral Officer V L Kantha Rao told reporters.
Election Commission announces Rs 10 lakh compensation for the kin of three EC officials who passed away while on election duty in Madhya Pradesh. One official from Guna while two in Indore were reported to have passed away. (ANI)