61 pc turnout in 2nd phase of elections

Nearly 61 per cent of the 88 lakh voters exercised their right to franchise in 51 Assembly constituencies in Chhattisgarh which went to polls in the second and final phase today.

Nearly 61 per cent of the 88 lakh voters exercised their right to franchise in 51 Assembly constituencies in Chhattisgarh which went to polls in the second and final phase on Thursday.

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While 60 per cent turnout was reported in Raipur district, it was 65 per cent each in Raigarh, Korba and Jashpur.

In Bilaspur, 62 per cent of the voters cast their ballots, Sarguja 60 per cent, Koria 55 per cent, and Janjgir and Chapa 56 per cent.

As many as 12,073 polling stations across the eight districts were set for the polling. Electoral fortunes of 687 candidates were decided by 88,14,228-strong electorate. Prominent leaders in the electoral battle

include former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, his wife Renu Jogi, BJP state president Vishnu Deo Sai, Congress state president Dhanendra Sahu, Deputy Speaker Badridhar Diwan and Home Minster Ram Vichar Netam.

55 per cent turnout was registered in the violence marred first phase of elections on Nov 14 for 39 constituencies of the 90-member Assembly.

A flight engineer was killed when an IAF helicopter on poll duty was attacked by Naxals who also gunned down a CRPF personnel during the first phase of polling. Two landmine blasts also injured four security men and over a dozen Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) were looted.