MP-4THD LD PERCENTAGE

63 pc voting in MP till 5 pm
    Bhopal, Apr 29 (PTI) An average 63 per cent voter
turnout was recorded till 5 pm across six Lok Sabha
constituencies in Madhya Pradesh Monday, an official said.
    The polling began at 7 am, and barring a few
Naxal-affected areas in Balaghat, will continue till 6 pm.
    "An average 63 per cent turnout was recorded till 5
pm," an election official said.
    Voting figures till 5 pm were as follows: Sidhi- 47.76
per cent, Shahdol- 64.89 per cent, Jabalpur- 64.05 per cent,
Mandla 64.54 per cent, Balaghat 66.88 per cent and
Chhindwara- 71.71 per cent.
    Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the state V L Kantha
Rao said that during a mock-poll, electronic voting machines
(EVMs) were replaced at 207 polling booths as some glitches
were found. The polling started on time after the machines
were replaced, he added.
    EVMs were also replaced at 106 polling booths due to
malfunctioning after the voting began.
    At two places under the Sidhi constituency, locals
threatened to boycot polling but officials persuaded them
to vote, he said to a question.
    Asked about BJP candidate from Sidhi, Riti Pathak,
reportedly receiving a threat, Rao said, "The district
collector has been asked to take action."
    No further details about the incident were available
immediately, officials said.
    In Naxal-affected Baiher, Lanjhi and Paraswada
Assembly segments under Balaghat parliamentary seat polling
was held from 7 am to 4 pm.
    Apart from six Lok Sabha seats, voting is also being
held for by-election to Chhindwara Assembly constituency,
where Chief Minister Kamal Nath is in the fray. PTI ADU MAS
KRK KRK