| Staff Reporter |
Itanagar, Apr 19: More than 66 per cent electorate in Arunachal Pradesh have cast their votes till 5 pm on Friday in the simultaneous elections to the 18th Lok Sabha and the 11th State Legislative Assembly, according to the data available with the poll panel.
In Parliamentary polls, 65.79 per cent voters’ turnout was recorded, while 67.13 per cent electors cast their votes in Assembly elections, as per the latest data available with the Election Commission.
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Pawan Kumar Sain told reporters that voting percentage is likely to be increased as polling is still continuing in some polling stations in Tirap, Lower Dibang Valley, Tezu (Lohit), Upper Siang, Yachuli (Keyi Panyor), Seijosa (Pakke Kessang), Sagalee (Papumpare) and Basar under Leparada district.
He also added that the picture will be clear when all the polling parties report back to their respective centers.
Sporadic incidents of violence have also been reported from areas.
“Cases of violence were reported from four polling stations, including Longlat under Nyapin Assembly constituency in Kurung Kumey, and Bogiya-Siyum, Lengi, and Deheksari polling booths under Nacho Assembly segment in Upper Subansiri where re-poll is likely to be held,” the CEO informed, while adding that detailed reports are still awaited.
He also informed that attempts were made to snatch EVMs at Bogiya-Siyum, Lengi, and Deheksari and added that those involved in disrupting the poll process have been identified and stern action is being initiated against them.
The CEO attributed the “heavy rains and change in VVPATs and CUs (Control Units)” for the reported delay in the start of polling process in some areas.
Sain said that there were 162 all-women polling stations and some of the teams already deposited the polled EVMs at respective reception centers. “Another noteworthy thing is that Kurung Kumey, which generally witnesses poll-related violence during every election, the polling was peaceful,” he said.
A total of 8,92,694 electorate, including 4,54,256 female voters, are eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 133 candidates in the high-stake battle for the 50 Assembly seats and 14 contestants for two Parliamentary Constituencies across 2,226 polling booths in the State.
A statewide public holiday was declared on the day to enable the eligible voters to cast their votes.
Among the prominent leaders in the fray, sitting MP and Union Minister Kiren Rijiju is seeking re-election from the Arunachal West Parliamentary seat.
Former Congress Chief Minister Nabam Tuki, who left his traditional bastion Sagalee for BJP's Ratu Techi to get elected unopposed, is trying his fortune in the parliamentary polls, contesting against Rijiju for the second successive time.
Another former Chief Minister and a veteran leader Gegong Apang is also in the fray for the Nari-Koyu Assembly seat from the newly floated Arunachal Democratic Party.
Earlier, the polling started at 7 am amid tight security and continued till 5 pm without any break in the majority of the polling booths.
Arrangements for webcasting facility had been made in 1108 polling stations, out of which online webcasting was done in 754 polling booths and offline recording in 354 others, CEO Sain had said.
Around 80 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), including India Reserve Battalion (IRBn) and State Police forces were deployed for conducting free, fair and incident-free polls.
Moreover, 615 micro observers were deployed for the polling, out of which 155 stationed at vulnerable polling stations and 417 in critical polling booths, he informed.
Polling was held to elect 50 members of the State Assembly (as 10 members of the 60-member House have already been elected unopposed) and two Lok Sabha MPs. Counting of votes for the assembly election will take place on June 2 - two days ahead of the declaration of Lok Sabha polls results.