Rajasthan records over 72% of polling

Rajasthan witnessed a record voter turnout of 72.87 per cent in its Assembly polls held on Dec 01, 2013, signifying that the state was indeed in the grip of “winds of change”.

The Election Commission was constantly revising the poll percentage as returning officers’ reports were pouring in from all over the state at the time of going to press. In the 2008 state assembly elections, the overall poll percentage was 66.25%. Before the polls on Sunday, the election commission said its aim was to take the voting percentage 10 points up this time.

The counting of votes for 199 of the 200 constituencies would take place on December 8, though Churu would go to polls on December 13. Fates of chief minister Ashok Gehlot and former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, along with more than 2,000 other candidates, is now sealed in the EVM machines.

In four districts—Jaisalmer, Sriganganagar, Hanumangarh and Chittorgarh—the polling percentage was above 80%. Lowest polling remained in Bharatpur, which recorded 55.21%. The desert denizens’ enthusiasm for the elections this time was at the peak in Jaisalmer district, which recorded the highest voting percentage of 85.52, even though habitations here are scattered over great distances.

The other two border districts of Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh witnessed 84.06% and 85.40% voting. The new entrant Zamindara Party, along with the CPM, in these twin districts seems to have made an impact on the chances of the state’s main parties, Congress and BJP in the Bikana region.

Unlike the previous assembly elections in 2008, polling was relatively peaceful all over the state this time. Security forces had to fire in the air at three places in Alwar, Bharatpur and Dausa districts, as supports of some influential candidates clashed with each other. Congress leaders alleged that attempts were to capture booths in the eastern part, which was marked sensitive by the election commission.

“Polling was peaceful all over the state, barring small disturbances at one or two places. The state has recorded a heavy increase in voting this time,” state’s chief electoral officer Ashok Jain said.