Final phase polling in Chhattisgarh today

Altogether 19,336 polling stations have been set up for 1.54 crore voters in 72 assembly constituencies going to polls in the second and final phase of polling in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday.

The Election Commission said that 77,53,337 men, 76,46,182 women and 877 people of “third gender” were expected to cast votes to decide the fate of 1,079 candidates contesting from 72 of the 90 seats in the State Assembly of Chhattisgarh.

The first phase of polling had taken place on November 12 when 18 constituencies – mostly a hotbed of ultra-left insurgency – had gone to polls.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party led by Chief Minister Raman Singh is facing a challenge from the opposition Congress. Also in the fray is a coalition of former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi's Janata Congress, Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party and Communist Party of India.

Voting will commence at 8 am and close at 5 pm, barring two areas affected by ultra-left insurgency where voting would start at 7 am and conclude at 3 pm, the EC stated.

Poll stats

Altogether 444 polling stations were identified as sensitive and 111 would be run fully by women poll officials. The EC would deploy 84,688 polling personnel for the election.

The candidates, who are in the fray for the 72 seats, include 113 Scheduled Caste and 176 Scheduled Tribe candidates.

The votes will be counted on December 11 along with the four other states – Mizoram, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Telangana.