Chhattisgarh Assembly Election 2018: Despite heavy Maoists threat, the first phase of the crucial Chhattisgarh Assembly elections witnessed around 70 per cent of the total voter turnaround in as many as 18 Naxal-affected constituency seats on Monday. The much crucial assembly poll witnessed several hindrances including Maoists attacks and allegations of EVM rigging. However, appreciating the enthusiasm of the voters, Chief Election Commissioner OP Rawat said attempts were made to instil a sense of fear among people. “Polling was peaceful. In comparison to earlier elections, this has been the singular achievement of the people working in the fields. Attempts were made to create fear among people but enthusiasm in voters was appreciable,” ANI quoted Rawat as saying. The state will now go for second phase of Assembly elections on remaining 72 seats on November 20.

Here are top highlights from the first phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly elections 2018:

1. Giving the break-up, the election commission stated that a voter turnout of 61.47 per cent was recorded in Kondagaon, 63.51 per cent in Keshkal, 62 per cent in Kanker and 58 per cent in Bastar. Likewise in seats including Dantewada, Khairagarh and Dongagarh voter turnaround was 49 per cent, 70.14 per cent and 71 per cent, respectively.

2. There was a 71 per cent voter turnaround in Dongargaon assembly seat and 72 per cent in the Khujji constituency. Rawat claimed that it was a peaceful polling in the state.

3. Of the 18 seats, 12 were reserved for Scheduled Tribes (STs) and one was for the Scheduled Caste (SC) category.

4. The second phase of polling in 72 seats will be held on November 20 and the results will be announced on December 11.
As per reports, two Naxals were gunned down on Monday evening in an encounter with security forces in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh.

5. The gunfight took place in forests near a village under Pushpal police station when a team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) was returning after discharging election-related duty.

6. The voting turnout was a little lower than the first phase in 2013 when 75.53 per cent of voters turned out to exercise their franchise.

7. Minutes before polling began, an improvised explosive device (IED) was detonated in Dantewada district by Naxals, who had called for a boycott of the polls.

8. A thick security blanket, comprising over 1.25 lakh police and paramilitary personnel, was thrown across the 18 constituencies, which fall in the Naxal belt.

9. A poll officer said as many as 31 EVMs and 51 VVPAT machines were replaced due to technical snags.

10. As many as 190 candidates were in the fray for first phase of the elections with CM Raman Singh and Congress' Karuna Shukla locking horns in Rajnandgaon. Shukla, a niece of late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee switched to Congress from the BJP in 2014