Indore: Barring a few minor incidents, voting was overall peaceful in Sanwer by-election where 78.01 per cent of the voters exercised their franchise under the shadow of Covid-19 pandemic.
However, compared to the last Assembly elections held in 2018, the turnout was down by 2.42 per cent. Now, all eyes are set on November 10 when results will be declared.
Fortunately, the administration had made foolproof arrangements to ensure that Covid-19 protocol was followed in all the booths.
Though 13 candidates are in fray, the main fight is between BJP candidate Tulsiram Silawat and Congress candidate Premchand Guddu. Polling at all 380 polling booths started from 7 am and went along smoothly barring a few stary incidents.
There was zeal among the voters and there were large queues right from the morning. By 1 pm almost half 48.52% voters had cast their vote. At the conclusion of voting, of the 2,64,269 voters 11,2586 voters had exercised their franchise.
The administration had been adequate arrangments to ensure that Covid-19 protocols were maintained during voting. Health teams were present in all the booths to provide gloves, santisers and they were checking the temperature of voters with thermal gun. To avoid crowding and long queues, there was token system and seating arrangement for voters.
The percentage of voting remained high in urban areas of the constituency as most of the voters living in townships and nearby areas like Nipania, Lasudia, reached the polling booth in early hours as they left to work after casting their votes. Voting percentage in many areas was over 30 per cent in the morning hours till 11 am.
The number of women voters was high in noon time as most of them reached the polling booth after completing their household work.
Voters in rural areas too cast votes early
Voting trend in rural areas was also seen similar to the urban areas as voters reached the polling booth early and left for their work after voting. Meanwhile, activists of both BJP and Congress were seen appealing to people door to door to go and vote.
After a couple of hours in the afternoon, the voting percentage was again increased in the evening as the administration too asked people to vote and also appealed to the institutions to send the workers and staff for casting votes first.
Girl casts vote after being discharged from hospital
First-time voter, Siya Birthare reached the polling booth at Nipania just after being discharged from the hospital. She was suffering from dengue and reached the polling booth before going home. Moreover, some of the voters had also reached the polling booth with a music band to play their part in the festival of democracy.
Elder voters like 95-year-old Bhanwari Bai in Garipipliya village, 80-year-old Subhash in Pipliyakumar village, and 80-year-old Usha Bai in Nipania reached to cast their votes.
Officials on their toes
Collector and District Election Officer Manish Singh, DIG Harinarayanachari Mishra, General Observer Roopwant Singh along with other officials visited several polling booths of Sanwer Assembly constituency and monitored the arrangements.
Voting status from 7 am to 6 pm
Voting till 9 am
Male - 24136
Female - 17196
Total - 41332
Per cent - 15.3%
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Voting till 11 am
Male - 49380
Female - 37827
Total - 87207
Per cent - 32.28%
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Voting till 1 pm
Male - 71145
Female - 59918
Total – 131063
Per cent - 48.52%
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Voting till 3pm
Male - 90557
Female - 81626
Total - 172183
Per cent - 63.74%
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Voting till 5 pm
Male – 106489
Female - 94315
Total - 200804
Per cent - 64.34%
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Voting till 6 pm (tentative)
Male - 112586
Female - 98121
Total - 210707
Per cent-78.01%
Voting % of Sanwer Assembly Constituency from 2008 to 2020
2008-73.85%
2013-77.71%
2018-80.43%
2020-78.01%