Arunachal Pradesh records 66 per cent polling, three injured in clash
Our Correspondent
Itanagar: An estimated 66 per cent voters in Arunachal Pradesh exercised their franchise till 1500 hours Thursday, amidst incident of violence reported from Kurung Kumey district in the state, election officials here said.
Election is being held in the Himalayan state for the two Lok Sabha seats and 57 Assembly seats out of total 60.
Additional Chief Electoral Officer Kangki Darang informed that according to reports available from the respective district electoral officers (DEOs) roughly 66 per cent voting was recorded in the state till 3 pm.
“As reports from several remote polling booths are yet to receive by this office and even in some polling stations polling is continuing, so the polling percentage will increase,” Darang said. He added that barring a few sporadic incidents of violence and damage of EVM, the polling was by and large peaceful in the state.
Three persons were seriously injured at Pipsorang circle under Tali assembly constituency in Kurung Kumey district after clash took place between supporters of two rival political parties, DGP S BK Singh said. The injured have been immediately evacuated to Itanagar by a chopper requisitioned by the district administration, the DGP added.
Darang said that in as per available reports, polling in 13 booths could not be conducted due to various reasons like damage of EVMs and malfunctioning of voting machines where re-polling is would be held.
“Re-polling will be done only after recommendations of the respective district electoral officers which will be forwarded to the Election Commission and accordingly the Commission will decide,” Darang disclosed.
The additional CEO further informed that so far total cash seized by the police and Election Commission appointed Static Surveillance Teams and the Flying Squads in the state amounted to over six crore.
“Liquor worth 1.97 crore were also seized and destroyed in the state,” he added.
A total of 45 companies of Central Armed Paramilitary Forces (CAPF) comprising ITBP, CRPF, IRBn and SSB along with over seven thousand state civil police personnel have been deployed. The state has a total of 7, 94, 162 voters, including 4, 01, 601 women. There are 2,202 polling stations spread across the state out of which, 281 were identified as vulnerable and 662 as critical polling stations. This time, there were also 11 polling stations exclusively for women. The ruling BJP had already opened its account in the assembly polls by winning three seats unopposed.
The winners are Kento Jini from Along East constituency in West Siang district, Taba Tedir from Yachuli seat in Lower Subansiri district and Phurpa Tsering from Dirang seat in West Kameng district. The BJP is fielding candidates in all the remaining 57 assembly seats while Congress is contesting in 46 seats, the NPP in 30 seats, JDU in 15 constituencies, JDS (12), PPA (9) and one from the All India Party (AIP). There are also 11 independent in the fray for the assembly polls in the state. Counting of votes will take place on May 23.
Also read: Arunachal news
