54.41 per cent voting was recorded in the 10 Lok Sabha constituencies in Madhya Pradesh, which went to polls on Thursday, officials said. While balloting was brisk in some constituencies, a few seats, including Bhind, saw sluggish polling.
Voters at nine polling stations decided to boycott over various local issues, including land acquisition. Poll boycott was going on in Bhuri Shahpur village under Damoh constituency on the issue of development works not being started, and at Nayagaon area that falls under Gwalior constituency in Datia district on the issue of construction of road.
"Voters at Lahar Assembly polling centre at Kacharia in Bhind stayed away from the process on the issue of basic amenities, while their counterparts in Bhikampur area, also in Bhind, boycotted voting in the protest on the issue of road and compensation," Madhya Pradesh's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Jaideep Govind told reporters.
Elections took place in Morena, Bhind, Gwalior, Guna, Sagar, Tikamgarh, Damoh, Khajuraho, Bhopal and Rajgarh constituencies.
Rajgarh saw enthusiastic voters turning up early to cast their votes. The constituency reported 55 per cent polling.
In Bhind, the voting was barely 28 per cent.
Meanwhile, reports of stone pelting were received from Bhind's Moroli polling centre following a poll-related dispute. However, the district administration there immediately brought the situation under control and normalcy restored.
In Rajgarh, polling agents have clashed over a trivial matter but police pacified them and brought the situation under control, he added.
As many as 23 EVMs had to be changed after they malfunctioned. Besides, reports reaching here said there were also a few complaints of violence.
A 16,722,163-strong electorate, which includes 7,716,647 women, is eligible to vote in the second round of polling in the state.
As many as 142 candidates are in the fray.
Balloting is being held at 18,792 polling booths. A total of 150,336 polling personnel have been deployed. "A total of 170 model polling stations were set up in these ten constituencies, and they are decorated (so as) to give them a festive look," the CEO said.
The state will see three-phased polling, ending April 24.
The first phase of voting April 10 in nine constituencies saw 46.55 per cent voter turnout.
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