Bhopal, Feb 24 (UNI) Over 35 pc polling was recorded till 1230 hrs for the crucial by-elections to Shivpuri's Kolaras and Ashnoknagar's Mungaoli assembly constituencies in Madhya Pradesh, where the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the principal-opposition Congress are in an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation.
“Approximately 38 per cent polling was recorded in Mungaoli till 1230 hours whereas the figure was 35 per cent in Kolaras. Faulty EVMs (electronic voting machines) and VVPAT (voter verifiable paper audit trail) machines were replaced 17 polling centres in Mungaoli and 18 polling centres in Kolaras,” Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Saleena Singh told media here.
“There are no reports of poll boycott. A minor scuffle broke out at a polling booth at Madwasa in Kolaras but was controlled soon. Voting is progressing peacefully. The Election Commission is hoping for a good turnout. In the 2013 assembly election, 72.82 per cent voter turnout was recorded in Kolaras and 77.35 per cent in Mungaoli,” she said.
Ms Singh informed that Mungaoli Town Inspector (TI) Kushal Singh Bhadauria was removed from his post last night on the basis of a complaint by the election observer. He was replaced by Guna TI Risheshwar Singh.
In response to a query over the BJP objecting to her decision to reject their complaint against Congress' Mungaoli candidate Brajendra Singh Yadav, she said that she has been confronting pressure from both sides but she remained impartial.
“No one would like to be in my position today. It is a crown of thorns. There is political pressure from both sides. Nonetheless, I work in an unbiased manner,” she said.
Amid tight security, the polling commenced at 0800 hrs and would close at 1700 hrs at 311 polling centres in Kolaras where a 2,44,456-strong electorate, including 1,13,753 women, are expected to exercise their franchise for sealing the fate of 22 candidates.
Likewise, polling commenced at 264 polling centres in Mungaoli where a 1,91,009-strong electorate, including 88,933 women, are likely to cast their votes to determine the fortune of 13 candidates. Counting of votes would be taken up on February 28.
Elaborate arrangements have been made to ensure free and fair polling with VVPAT machines being set up along with EVMs. Over 3,000 polling personnel have been assigned duty at all 575 polling centres. Ten companies of the Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) have been deployed besides two companies of Special Armed Force (SAF) and local police personnel.
The principal contest is between Devendra Jain (BJP) and Mahendra Singh Yadav (Congress) in Kolaras. The bypoll became inevitable, following the death of Mr Ram Singh Yadav (Cong).
Similarly, Baisaab Yadav (BJP) and Brajendra Singh Yadav (Cong) are locked in a direct combat in Mungaoli. The by-election was necessitated following the demise of Mr Mahendra Singh Kalukheda (Cong).
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan assumed the reins of campaigning for the saffron party. From the Congress camp; former Union ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia and Kamal Nath, the party's state unit chief Arun Yadav and Leader of the Opposition Ajay Singh were among those on the campaign trail.
UNI Team-PS