52 PC votes in Lok Sabha poll amid violence claiming 8 lives

      Raipur, April 16, 2009: Amid large scale violence by the Maoists, Chhattisgarh today registered a vote of about 52 per cent during the Lok Sabha election.

      Eight people were killed on the poll date today, where as Maoists have looted Electronic Voting Machines in 12 places and in one place people captured booth, State Chief Electoral Officer Sunil Kumar Kujur told reporters here.

     When about 52 per cent votes were registered, Durg, Korba and Raigarh had 55 per cent votes and in Bilaspur 53 per cent votes exercised their franchise, he said.

     Similarly Rajnandgaon polled 52 per cent votes when Mahasamund 51 per cent, Janjgir-Champa 50 per cent, Raipur 47 per cent, Bastar and Sarguja have 46 per cent and Kanker 45 per cent votes.

     However, in four places- one in Raipur and three in Raigarh people boycotted the votes.

     Meanwhile, the Commission has received complaint of booth capture in one place in Jaipur under Korea district, Kujur said.

     Also about in 12 places the Maoists have looted EVMs and in only one place the EVM could be replaced on time, where as in other cases there could be a re-polling, he said.

      Three each places in Bastar, Dantewada and Rajnandgaon, two places in Narayanpur and in one place in Kanker the EVMs were looted where as in Kanker the voting machine was replaced as soon as possible, Kujur said.

      Also in a blast in Maruki area of Dantewada district under the Bastar seat two CRPF jawans were killed and three injured in a naxal attack where as in a land mine blast one Zonal polling officer and four other polling party members were killed and two injured in Manpur area of Rajnandgaon district and Lok Sabha seat.

     Meanwhile, police said one naxalite was killed in an encounter with police in Sanabal area of Balrampur district.

     Over 31 places the naxalites and the Police were engaged in gun battle today on the Parliamentary election day, including in Dharmaram and Paidaram of Bijapur district, Magnar and Maruki of Dantewada district, Chhotebenur, Sonapal, Nednar, Kosalnar, Netnar, Dandwan, Surenga in Narayanpur district, Kudur, Adnar and Irpan of Bastar district, Gattakal and Pharaspur of Kanker district, Madanwada and Buchar of Rajnandgaon district.