MP, Mizoram witness 75 per cent polling

​Bhopal/Aizawl: Over 75 per cent of voters in Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram voted on Wednesday in the Assembly elections in the two states where incumbent governments are seeking a straight fourth and third terms in office, respectively. Around 75 per cent polling was recorded till 6 p.m. in Madhya Pradesh's 227 assembly constituencies against 72.13 per cent recorded in 2013 Assembly polls, Election Commission officials said in New Delhi. 

In the state's remaining three Maoist-affected constituencies of Balaghat district's Baihar, Lanji and Paraswada, polling was recorded at 78 per cent, 79.07 per cent and 80.06 per cent, respectively. The polling in these three constituencies began at 7 am and finished at 3 pm. Mizoram witnessed 75 per cent polling by 5 pm at the close of polling.

However, the officials said that the polling percentage would go up as in many constituencies the communication facilities were not there, thus they had not received the actual figures. "Once we get the actual figures from those constituencies, the percentage of polling would go up," the official said. In 2013, Mizoram witnessed 83.41 per cent polling and 82.35 per cent voter turnout in 2008. Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) were used in Mizoram after 2003. The official said the highlight of the day in Mizoram was that over 10,000 elderly voters exercised their franchise with a 108-year old man, 106-year old woman on wheel chair and 103-year-old man coming out to vote.  In the case of Madhya Pradesh, violence was reported in a few places in Bhind district. 

Two persons were arrested in a firing incident near an election booth in Bhind, police said. Several Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) malfunctioned, which were replaced by the poll panel officials. The Election Commission also announced that Rs 10 lakh each would be paid to its officials who died during the voting exercise. 

The highlight of the day in Madhya Pradesh was the voting by a 101-year-old woman, who exercised her franchise in Agar Malwa district. In the central Indian state, the contest is mainly between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress, though the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) are also in the fray. 

In Mizoram, the last bastion of the Congress in the North-East, the party is striving for a third successive term against a stiff challenge from the Mizo National Front (MNF) headed by former Chief Minister Zoramthanga. The fight is largely between the Congress and the Mizo National Front though the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is also seeking to make its presence felt.