ID :
34088
Fri, 12/05/2008 - 10:53
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/34088
The shortlink copeid
Caste violence, EVM glitches in Raj polls,68 percent turnout
Jaipur, Dec 4 (PTI) Nearly 68 percent of the 3.62 crore-strong electorate Thursday turned out to vote in Rajasthan Assembly election that witnessed stray incidents of caste violence and malfunctioning of Electronic Voting Machines.
A CRPF jawan fired in the air to disperse a mob at
Badikhera village under Ladpura Constituency of Kota district
but no one was hurt, Director-General of State Police K S
Bains told PTI.
A supporter of former Minister and expelled Bhartiya
Janata Party (BJP) leader K L Meena allegedly opened fire at a
group of Gujjar voters who were on their way to a polling
booth near Balghat in Todabheem constituency injuring one
person, officials said.
"The polling percentage is expected to be between 65 to
68 percentage as we are still compiling the figures," election
commission officials said. A 68 percent turnout was registered
in the 2003 Assembly elections.
There were 43,000 polling stations in 33 districts
where 43,000 EVMs were used. Mechanical problems were reported
in about 150 EVMs which were replaced immediately, they said.
Rajasthan Governor S K Singh and his wife Manju, who
were the first to arrive to cast their votes at a polling
booth in Jaipur's Hawasarak area, were among those stumped by
a malfunctioning EVM and had to wait for about half an hour
before another voting machine was brought.
"The person responsible for irregularity should be
penalised", the Governor told reporters.
Chief Minister Vasudhra Raje, All India Congress
Committee (AICC) general secretary Ashok Gehlot and PCC
president C P Joshi were among 2194 candidates whose fate was
sealed in the EVMs today.
In another incident, members of a Scheduled Caste
community laid a siege at a police station in Mahua area in
Bharatpur division claiming they were not allowed to cast
their ballot by people belonging to an "influential" caste,
they said.
A police party escorted the protesting members to the
polling booth, the sources said.
In Degana constituency, two groups of ruling BJP and
the opposition Congress clashed at a polling station in which
five persons were injured, they said.
Six persons were injured in a similar clash at Nedach
village in Nathdwara Assembly constituency of Rajsamand
district late last night, the police said.
Polling was stopped at a booth at Nimla village of
Thanagazi Assembly constituency in Alwar district following a
clash between supporters of an independent candidate who
belonged to Meena community and members of other castes.
The clash erupted when supporters of Kanti Meena, who
is the sitting MLA, started pelting stones on a rival group,
the police claimed.
It is virtually a straight fight between the ruling
BJP and the Opposition Congress barring in few pockets of
Bharatatpur, Sawaimadhipur, Kota, Alwar and Tonk districts
where triangular contest was witnessed due to BSP or rebel
candidates.
142 women candidates, including 32 of BJP and 23 of the
Congress, were also in the poll battle.
Over 225 companies of central forces, para- military
and Rajasthan Armed Constabulary were deployed in the 42,212
polling booths.
For the first time, the Commission introduced six
mobile polling stations in two constituencies of Pokhran and
Jaisalmer.
Dressed in their colourful traditional attire, women,
especially in rural areas, along with the elderly were seen
enthusiastically queueing up outside booths.
95-year-old Bhonri Lal walked to a polling booth on
crutches in Amber constituency to cast his ballot.
"I have been casting vote for years despite my old age
because what we decide at the time of polling actually will
set the track for next five years," he said.
In Shahpura constituency, Bansidhar Yadav said that
most of women voters in their village Lochuka Bas exercised
their right to franchise.
The Congress has fielded 200 candidates BJP 193, 199
of BSP, and 1019 are independents. Counting of votes will take
place on December 8.
200 observers and over 5,000 "micro observers"
were deployed for the polling. PTI SDA
A CRPF jawan fired in the air to disperse a mob at
Badikhera village under Ladpura Constituency of Kota district
but no one was hurt, Director-General of State Police K S
Bains told PTI.
A supporter of former Minister and expelled Bhartiya
Janata Party (BJP) leader K L Meena allegedly opened fire at a
group of Gujjar voters who were on their way to a polling
booth near Balghat in Todabheem constituency injuring one
person, officials said.
"The polling percentage is expected to be between 65 to
68 percentage as we are still compiling the figures," election
commission officials said. A 68 percent turnout was registered
in the 2003 Assembly elections.
There were 43,000 polling stations in 33 districts
where 43,000 EVMs were used. Mechanical problems were reported
in about 150 EVMs which were replaced immediately, they said.
Rajasthan Governor S K Singh and his wife Manju, who
were the first to arrive to cast their votes at a polling
booth in Jaipur's Hawasarak area, were among those stumped by
a malfunctioning EVM and had to wait for about half an hour
before another voting machine was brought.
"The person responsible for irregularity should be
penalised", the Governor told reporters.
Chief Minister Vasudhra Raje, All India Congress
Committee (AICC) general secretary Ashok Gehlot and PCC
president C P Joshi were among 2194 candidates whose fate was
sealed in the EVMs today.
In another incident, members of a Scheduled Caste
community laid a siege at a police station in Mahua area in
Bharatpur division claiming they were not allowed to cast
their ballot by people belonging to an "influential" caste,
they said.
A police party escorted the protesting members to the
polling booth, the sources said.
In Degana constituency, two groups of ruling BJP and
the opposition Congress clashed at a polling station in which
five persons were injured, they said.
Six persons were injured in a similar clash at Nedach
village in Nathdwara Assembly constituency of Rajsamand
district late last night, the police said.
Polling was stopped at a booth at Nimla village of
Thanagazi Assembly constituency in Alwar district following a
clash between supporters of an independent candidate who
belonged to Meena community and members of other castes.
The clash erupted when supporters of Kanti Meena, who
is the sitting MLA, started pelting stones on a rival group,
the police claimed.
It is virtually a straight fight between the ruling
BJP and the Opposition Congress barring in few pockets of
Bharatatpur, Sawaimadhipur, Kota, Alwar and Tonk districts
where triangular contest was witnessed due to BSP or rebel
candidates.
142 women candidates, including 32 of BJP and 23 of the
Congress, were also in the poll battle.
Over 225 companies of central forces, para- military
and Rajasthan Armed Constabulary were deployed in the 42,212
polling booths.
For the first time, the Commission introduced six
mobile polling stations in two constituencies of Pokhran and
Jaisalmer.
Dressed in their colourful traditional attire, women,
especially in rural areas, along with the elderly were seen
enthusiastically queueing up outside booths.
95-year-old Bhonri Lal walked to a polling booth on
crutches in Amber constituency to cast his ballot.
"I have been casting vote for years despite my old age
because what we decide at the time of polling actually will
set the track for next five years," he said.
In Shahpura constituency, Bansidhar Yadav said that
most of women voters in their village Lochuka Bas exercised
their right to franchise.
The Congress has fielded 200 candidates BJP 193, 199
of BSP, and 1019 are independents. Counting of votes will take
place on December 8.
200 observers and over 5,000 "micro observers"
were deployed for the polling. PTI SDA
