Chhattisgarh panchayat polls: 77.54% voting recorded

Raipur: An average voter turnout of 77.54 per cent was recorded in the third and last phase of panchayat elections held in 50 development blocks in Chhattisgarh on Sunday, an official said.

However, the figure is provisional and it might go up as figures from several booths are yet to arrive, the poll official added.

The voting process, which involved ballot papers, was by and large peaceful, he said.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, his mother, wife and other family members cast their votes at a polling booth in their native Bagia village in Jashpur district.

The CM, who waited in queue for his turn, said the BJP would emerge victorious just like it did in the recent urban body polls and the first and second phases of the three-tier panchayat elections as the party has fulfilled its promises.

The polling time in Bastar division, comprising seven districts, was from 6.45 am to 2 pm because of the Naxal threat, while it was 7 am to 3 pm elsewhere, the official said.

As per police, a helicopter is being used to drop and pick up polls personnel of six booths in Sukma and two in Narayanpur in Bastar region.

The panchayat or local self-government elections in the state take place at three levels-- Gram Panchayat (village), Janpad Panchayat (block) and Zila Panchayat (district) and are not held on party lines.

"Altogether, 53,28,371 voters, including 26,37,306 men, 26,91,000 women and 65 belonging to the third-gender category, were able to exercise their franchise in the last phase to elect 30,990 ward panchs, 3,802 sarpanchs, 1,122 janpad panchayat members and 145 posts of Zila panchayat members," the official said.

"For the third phase, 11,430 polling stations have been set up in 50 development blocks. In the third phase, 76,199 candidates were in the fray for the posts of ward panch, 17,191 for sarpanch, 4,659 for Janpad Panchayat members and 839 for Zila Panchayat members. Counting will be held soon after the votes are cast in each phase," he said.

On February 17, the first phase of poll was held to elect 27,210 ward panchs, 3,605 sarpanchs, 911 janpad panchayat members and 149 posts of Zila panchayat members, wherein 81.38 percent voter turnout was recorded.

The second phase of voting was held on February 20 to elect 26,988 ward panchs, 3,774 sarpanchs, 899 janpad panchayat members and 138 posts of Zila panchayat members, with the turnout touching 81.22 per cent.

"Tabulation and election results were announced for the first phase on February 19 and on Saturday for the second phase. Tabulation and election results for the third phase will be announced on February 25. Results for the Zila Panchayat posts were announced for the first and second phase on February 20 and Saturday, respectively," he said.

The announcement of of results for the third phase will be done on February 25, the official added.

"Polls are being held to elect 433 Zila Panchayat members, 2973 Janpad Panchayat members, 11,671 Sarpanchs of village panchayats and 1,60,161 Panchs. A total of 74,310 Panchs, 448 Sarpanchs, 41 Janpad Panchayat members and one Zilla Panchayat member have been elected unopposed," he said.

In this way, elections are being held in three phases for the posts of 85,188 Panch, 11,181 Sarpanch, 2,932 Janpad Panchayat members and 432 Zilla Panchayat members, the official added.