Bhopal: Around 75.11 per cent voter turnout was recorded till the end of voting for the eight Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh on Sunday, a poll official said. The final figures would be provided later, he said. Dewas, Ujjain, Mandsaur, Ratlam, Dhar, Indore, Khargone and Khandwa were the eight Lok Sabha seats that went to polls in the fourth and final phase of the general election in the state.
As per information issued at 8 pm by the state electoral office, voting figures were: Dewas 79.46 per cent, Ujjain 75 per cent, Mandsaur 77.20 per cent, Ratlam 74.52 per cent, Dhar 74.79 per cent, Indore 70per cent, Khargone 77.51 per cent and Khandwa 74.71 per cent.
Polling began at 7 am and those in queue at 6 pm, when voting officially ends, were allowed to exercise their franchise, MP Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) V L Kantha Rao said. An average 69.26 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the first three phases of the Lok Sabha polls in the state, Rao said.
He said during the mock poll, either the EVM ballot unit or the control unit or the VVPAT printer was replaced in 344 booths, and the same had to be done in 70 booths during actual voting. Prominent candidates in the fray are former Union ministers Kantilal Bhuria and Arun Yadav of the Congress, who are contesting from Ratlam and Khandwa seats, respectively.
Altogether 82 candidates, including Bhuria and Yadav, are contesting in the eight constituencies where there are 1.49 crore eligible voters. Of these total nominees, 20 are contesting in Indore, 13 in Mandsaur, 11 in Khandwa, nine each in Ujjain and Ratlam, seven each in Dhar and Khargone, and six in Dewas, Rao said.
