First round of polls in Chhattisgarh today

Raipur, November 10

The first phase of assembly polls in Chhattisgarh will be held in 18 constituencies of Bastar division and Rajnandgaon district on Monday. In the first round, about 29,32,200 voters will decide fate of total 143 candidates. The Election Commission (EC) has pressed about 500 companies in 18 constituencies to conduct polls peacefully and transparently. Besides, 2700 cameras have been installed in polling stations. 

Among 18 seats, 12 are reserved for ST, one for SC and five for general candidates. The polling time in 12 seats of Bastar and one seat of Rajnandgaon will be from 7 am to 3 pm while in remaining five seats of Rajnandgaon between 8 am to 5 pm.

Out of 143 candidates, 65 belong to recognised national political parties, 40 from registered political parties and 38 are independent. Rajnandgaon and Jagdalpur are two constituencies from where maximum number of candidates are in fray, i.e. 14 each while Konta has minimum number of contestants, i.e. four.

There are total 4142 polling stations and 68 sub-polling booths in 18 constituencies. The EC has shifted 167 polling stations after finding the original locations insecure for voters and polling teams. To smoothly conduct elections, the EC has constituted 4556 polling teams.

Chief electoral officer Sunil Kujur informed that helicopter service will be provided to polling teams to reach 192 polling booths located in dense forest areas. The EC has declared 1517 polling stations as sensitive, 1311 hyper-sensitive and 1314 normal.

To keep an eye on polling procedures, the EC has appointed 1040 micro-observers, eight police observers, eight expenditure observers and 18 general observers.

Of 29,32,200 voters, 14,53,730 are males and 14,78,659 are females. The number of voters without elector’s photo identity card (EPIC) is 79,473. These voters will have to produce their alternative identity cards at polling stations.

Considering naxal threat, EC will take service of air ambulance in Chhattisgarh for the first time. These air ambulances are equipped with facilities like ventilators, multipara monitors and defibrillators. Both the air ambulances have been parked at Raipur’s Swami Vivekananda airport. The State’s health officials informed that at least three critical patients could be transported to nation’s top hospitals in each of these ambulances in emergency situation.

Besides, one ambulance each equipped with advanced life support system has been kept in Jagdalpur and Kanker. In addition, 108 ambulances will be ready for service in all 27 districts.

Anticipating reiteration of incidents like May 25 naxal attack, all the multispeciality hospitals of Raipur city too have been instructed to remain prepared for emergency cases round the clock.