Madhya Pradesh Elections: EC directs re-polling in Mohri booth today

Two days after the Madhya Pradesh Assembly Election 2018, state Chief Electoral Office on Friday released constituency wise voter turnout report which suggests that altogether 75.05 per cent voters exercised their franchise in the crucial state poll on Wednesday, November 28, 2018. This means 3,78,52,213 voters, out of the total 5.04 crore registered with the EC, cast their ballot. 

Among the total electors, 75.98 per cent of male, 74.03 per cent of female and 23.66 per cent of the third gender exercised their votes. The difference between male and female voter turnout was about 1.95 per cent. 

In the 2013 Assembly polls, 72.69 per cent people cast their votes in the state.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission (EC) on Friday directed re-polling at Mohri polling booth in Anuppur assembly segment of Madhya Pradesh following a mismatch of 56 ballots during November 28 polls. Re-polling will take place from 8 am to 5 pm on Saturday.

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There was a difference of 56 in the number of voters' signatures in the register with the presiding officer and the number of votes recorded in the Electronic Voting Machine, according to the EC’s observer’s report. The report prompted the EC to order re-polling in the booth.

November 28 polling in Madhya Pradesh was marred by complaints of faulty Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVVPAT) machines.

Polling was held between 8 am and 5 pm in 227 seats, while in three assembly segments - Lanji, Paraswada and Baihar - in the Naxal-affected Balaghat district, the voting time was between 7 am to 3 pm. As many as 2,899 candidates, including 1,094 independents, contested for 230 seats.

The counting of votes will take place in Madhya Pradesh and four other states - Rajasthan, Mizoram, Telangana and Chhattisgarh on December 11, 2018.