BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh registered a voter turnout of 28.25 percent, while Chhattisgarh, its neighboring state, recorded a polling percentage of 19.75 percent during the second phase until 11.30 am on Friday, as per the Election Commission's latest update.

Madhya Pradesh's Chief Electoral Officer, Anupam Rajan, reassured on Friday that the ongoing polling for the 230-member assembly in the state is proceeding smoothly and without disruptions.

CEO Rajan shared updates, noting Rajgarh district as the frontrunner with the highest voter turnout of 16.49 percent, while Indore recorded the lowest at 6.1 percent by 9 am.

"Long queues have been observed outside several polling stations," Rajan remarked.

As of 11:30 am, Madhya Pradesh registered a voter turnout of 28.25 percent, whereas neighboring Chhattisgarh reported 19.67 percent polling in the second phase, according to Election Commission data.

The voting process for the 230 Assembly seats commenced at 7 am on Friday in Madhya Pradesh.

Speaking during a press briefing in Indore amidst the polling activity, CEO Rajan affirmed, "Voting in Madhya Pradesh began today at 7 am and is progressing peacefully."

Rajan also mentioned the prompt replacement of non-functional Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) at a few polling stations due to technical issues.

"We have received technical complaints from some polling stations," Rajan added.

He reassured, "There have been no reports of halted polling anywhere across the state. The voting process continues at all polling booths."

Except for specific areas like the Baihar, Lanji, and Parswara assembly seats in Balaghat district and select booths in Mandla and Dindori districts, where voting will conclude at 3 pm, voters can cast their ballots until 6 pm.

The BJP aims to maintain its hold in the state, having governed for nearly 18 out of the last 20 years, while the Congress seeks to replace the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government.

Webcasting facilities have been arranged at approximately 42,000 polling stations, and a substantial security deployment of nearly 700 central force companies and two lakh state police personnel ensures safety during the election.

Over 2,500 candidates' fate will be decided by this election, with approximately 5.59 crore eligible voters, including 2.87 crore males and 2.71 crore females. The election will also accommodate over 5,000 booths operated by women and 183 polling stations managed by individuals with disabilities, as per officials.

These polls hold significance for both the BJP and Congress ahead of the impending Lok Sabha elections in about six months. Vote counting for the five states, including Rajasthan, Telangana, and Mizoram, is scheduled for December 3.

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