Polling at greater than 51,000 polling cubicles in 199 meeting constituencies started at 7 am (File)
Jaipur:
Greater than 73 per cent of the citizens in Rajasthan voted on Saturday in a bipolar contest involving the Congress and the BJP to elect a brand new authorities, with polling passing off peacefully barring a number of stray incidents of violence.
The tentative voter turnout was 73.92 per cent until the final report got here in at 6 pm, an election fee official mentioned.
Earlier, Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Gupta mentioned the ultimate voting figures might be issued as soon as information is compiled.
“The polling share until 5 pm was 68.24 per cent. The very best turnout was in Jaisalmer district, adopted by Hanumangarh and Dholpur districts,” Mr Gupta mentioned at a press convention after the polling ended.
Polling at greater than 51,000 polling cubicles in 199 meeting constituencies started at 7 am and ended at 6 pm, however officers mentioned these already in queue on the polling cubicles have been allowed to vote. The votes might be counted on December 3.
When requested about repolling at cubicles the place incidents of clashes have been reported, he mentioned the choice can be taken after the report of the observers. Mr Gupta mentioned there have been no reviews of the voting course of getting halted at anywhere.
On the malfunction of EVMs at some cubicles, he mentioned the quantity was lower than the nationwide common.
Within the final meeting elections in 2018, the state recorded a voter turnout of 74.06 per cent. The Election Fee has set a goal of at the very least 75 per cent turnout in every constituency this time.
Polling within the Karanpur Meeting constituency in Sriganganagar was postponed because of the dying of the Congress candidate.
Two folks — Shanti Lal, who was a polling agent of the BJP candidate from the Sumerpur constituency Joraram Kumawat, and 62-year-old voter Satyendra Arora — died of suspected cardiac arrest at polling cubicles in Pali and Udaipur districts, officers mentioned.
There are greater than 5.25 crore registered voters in 199 seats whereas 1,862 candidates are within the fray.
The Election Fee had made elaborate preparations to make sure clean polling with greater than 1.70 lakh safety personnel being deployed throughout the state.
In Sanwler village of Kaman in Deeg district, two folks, together with a policeman, have been injured in a stone-pelting incident.
“Police fired 12 rounds within the air to disperse the group. Voting was disrupted for a couple of minutes because of the incident,” Deeg Superintendent of Police (SP) Brijesh Upadhyay mentioned.
In Sikar’s Fatehpur, two teams clashed and a jawan was injured within the violence.
“Stone pelting occurred outdoors a polling sales space. One jawan was injured within the stone pelting. No civilian was injured. Round 5 to seven folks have been detained,” Fatehpur Deputy Superintendent of Police Ram Pratap mentioned.
An altercation occurred between a polling agent and an individual outdoors a polling sales space in Dholpur’s Bari seat.
“Two autos have been broken within the ensuing violence. The polling was stopped for a while,” Dholpur Collector Anil Kumar Agarwal mentioned.
In Uniara of Tonk district, 40-50 folks tried to enter a polling sales space, nonetheless, the state of affairs was introduced underneath management, Superintendent of Police Rajarshi Raj mentioned.
The Congress is aiming to buck the development of the ruling occasion being voted out each 5 years, whereas the BJP is eyeing a return within the state forward of the Lok Sabha polls subsequent yr.
A number of voters, together with kids and the aged, queued up at polling centres nicely earlier than 7 am.
“I received prepared by 6 am, known as up my buddies, and reached the polling sales space in order that we’re the primary ones to vote,” Himanshu Jaiyaswal, a university scholar, instructed PTI at a polling sales space in Malviya Nagar right here.
“That is the competition of democracy and all ought to take part in it,” Jai Singh, one other voter, mentioned.
Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Union ministers Gajendra Singh Gajendra Shekhawat and Kailash Chaudhary, former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, and former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot have been among the many first ones to solid their votes.
Ashok Gehlot and Gajendra Shekhawat voted in Jodhpur, Kailash Chaudhary in Balotra, Vasundhara Raje in Jhalawar, and Sachin Pilot in Jaipur.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, Rajasthan ministers Shanti Dhariwal, Ashok Chandana, and Pramod Jain Bhaya solid their votes in Kota whereas state BJP president CP Joshi exercised his franchise in Chittorgarh and occasion MPs Diya Kumari and Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore voted in Jaipur.
The leaders expressed confidence that their respective events would get the mandate of the folks.
There isn’t any anti-incumbency in opposition to the Congress and the occasion will kind the federal government within the state once more, Ashok Gehlot mentioned in Jodhpur.
“There appears to be an undercurrent. Appears to be like just like the (Congress) authorities might be repeated,” he mentioned.
Speaking to reporters in Jhalawar, Ashok Gehlot’s predecessor Raje retorted, “I agree with him. There may be certainly an undercurrent however within the favour of the BJP. Lotus (BJP’s ballot image) will bloom on December 3.” Requested who would be the CM if the BJP involves energy, Raje mentioned the choice might be taken by the occasion.
Om Birla mentioned by casting their votes, the folks have expressed themselves.
The fixed rise within the voting share since 1952 displays the energy of our democracy and all of us are happy with it, the Lok Sabha speaker instructed reporters.
In Jodhpur, Gajendra Shekhawat mentioned, “The BJP is coming to energy with an enormous majority. This time folks will vote protecting in thoughts crimes dedicated in opposition to girls, paper leak incidents, and corruption in the course of the five-year rule of the Congress.” Dhariwal, the city improvement and housing minister, mentioned he was assured of Congress retaining energy within the state.
(Apart from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is revealed from a syndicated feed.)