A voter participation of 55.31 percent was reported in 70 assembly constituencies until 3 p.m. in the second phase of Chhattisgarh elections, which began on Friday morning under a strong security blanket of police and paramilitary troops, according to a poll official, news agency PTI reported. Polling in 70 constituencies began at 8 a.m. and will end at 5 p.m., with the exception of nine polling stations in the Naxal-affected Bindranawagarh seat in Gariaband district, where voting started at 7 a.m. for security concerns, according to a poll official.


Voting at Bindranawagarh's nine booths --Kamarbhaudi, Amamora, Odh, Bade Gobra, Ganwargaon, Gariba, Nagesh, Sahbinkachhar, and Kodomali -- began at 7 a.m. and ended at 3 p.m., he added.


He reported a 55.31 percent turnout in 70 constituencies till 3 p.m.


Till 3 p.m., Chhattisgarh's Patan seat has the highest vote percentage (66.87%). Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel is running against his nephew MP Vijay Baghel and JCC-J's Amit Jogi, son of the first CM Ajit Jogi in Patan.


Raipur rural had the lowest turnout of 38.2%.


60.45% Voter Turnout In MP Till 3PM


The voter turnout for the second round of the Madhya Pradesh elections, which began on Friday, was 60.45% as of 3 p.m.


Stone-pelting occurred between two groups in the Dimani Assembly constituency in Madhya Pradesh's Morena district on Friday morning, according to police, who were reported by news agency ANI.


The campaign for Madhya Pradesh has been about social initiatives and cash transfers, a rush to provide people with immediate satisfaction rather than offering any long-term vision of economic inclusiveness and progress. MP has the lowest per capita income of the states holding elections, below the national average by more than Rs 33,000 per year. In the most recent elections, in 2018, the Congress rode to victory, winning 114 of the 230 seats, while the BJP finished with 109 following three years in office under Shivraj Singh Chouhan. But the tables were soon reversed, with the Congress's leaders in Gwalior-Chambal, led by Scindia, defecting to the BJP and restoring the party to power.