16:58 (IST)

Assembly Elections Updates

Here are the key highlights of the day:

• MP records over 60 per. cent voter turnout till 3 pm, Chhattisgarh sees 55 per cent turnout
• BJP candidate, AAP supporter injured after unidentified men open fire in MP’s Mehgaon Assembly constituency
• Congress' Digvijaya Singh complains of Police bias, claims Cong worker was allegedly run over by a BJP leader

16:07 (IST)

Assembly Elections LIVE

MP records over 60% voter turnout till 3 pm, Chhattisgarh sees 55% turnout

Madhya Pradesh had a voter turnout of 60.52 percent, while Chhattisgarh had a turnout of 55.31 percent until 3 p.m. on Friday.

Voting commenced at 7 a.m. in MP, and at 8 a.m. in Chhattisgarh.

15:49 (IST)

Madhya Pradesh LIVE Updates

Want every Indian to do their duty, says 95-year-old voter

95-year-old Ram Murthi who showed up to get his finger inked exhorted fellow natives to "do their duty and cast their votes".

"The Election Commission has made good arrangements for senior citizens as well. I came here to cast my vote as I felt I was in good shape and wanted to vote my choice," he said.

15:37 (IST)

Madhya Pradesh LIVE Updates

Voted for development, says Former Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan

Former Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan exercised her franchise in the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections and said she voted for development.

"I voted on the issue of development," Mahajan told PTI after casting her vote at a polling booth in Indore's Old Palasia area.

Mahajan said that it has been more than 75 years since the country got independence from British rulers and awareness of voting has increased among the citizens.

15:23 (IST)

Chhattisgarh LIVE Updates

Vote in maximum numbers to elect govt for development, justice: Amit Shah urges Chhattisgarh voters

Shah took to 'X' using his official handle only hours after voting for the remaining 70 seats in Chhattisgarh began in the second round. On November 7, the first phase of voting for 20 seats in Chhattisgarh was place.

"I appeal to all the voters of the second phase of Chhattisgarh elections to vote in maximum numbers to elect a government that will ensure development, justice and welfare of poor by ending appeasement and corruption in the state. Your one vote will ensure Chhattisgarh's culture, tribal pride and women's safety," Shah posted on 'X'.

छत्तीसगढ़ के दूसरे चरण के सभी मतदाताओं से अपील करता हूँ कि प्रदेश में तुष्टीकरण व भ्रष्टाचार को समाप्त कर विकास, न्याय और गरीब कल्याण सुनिश्चित करने वाली सरकार को चुनने के लिए अधिक से अधिक संख्या में मतदान करें।

आपका एक वोट छत्तीसगढ़ की संस्कृति, जनजातीय गौरव और महिलाओं की…— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) November 17, 2023

15:19 (IST)

Madhya Pradesh LIVE Updates

Chhindwara MP Nakul Nath stopped from entering the polling booth

A video of a verbal interaction between BJP members and Congress supporters, including Nakul Nath, went viral on social media, with some individuals objecting to his presence into the polling booth.

“Today morning, I went to the polling centres to take stock of the situation. I received a call from my party workers, who informed me that a BJP councillor was misbehaving with women voters at Ward No. 25. They are claiming that I was trying to barge into the polling centre, but I wasn't doing any such thing,” Nakul Nath said.

15:18 (IST)

Madhya Pradesh LIVE Updates

Narottam Mishra shouldn't be allowed to contest elections, says Digvijaya Singh on 'Pakistan' comments

Narottam Mishra said that if any party other than the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wins the election, then there will be celebrations in Pakistan. He also said that those who want to serve the nation should vote for the BJP.

"It is a provocative statement. Strict action should be taken against him. The Election Commission of India (ECI) should give notice to him immediately," Digvijaya Singh said.

15:17 (IST)

Madhya Pradesh LIVE Updates

BJP candidate, AAP supporter injured after unidentified men open fire in Mehgaon Assembly constituency

Unidentified individuals opened fire in Madhya Pradesh's Mehgaon Assembly constituency, injuring a BJP candidate and an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supporter.

When police were notified of the occurrence, they dispatched a squad to the scene.

15:07 (IST)

Madhya Pradesh LIVE Updates

Congress' Digvijaya Singh complains of Police bias, claims Cong worker was allegedly run over by a BJP leader

Former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh and Congress Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh on Friday claimed that one of his party workers was mowed down by a BJP candidate with his vehicle in Chhatarpur but the police are yet to take any action into the matter.

Singh made the remark while speaking to the reporters in the state capital Bhopal after casting his vote here. The Congress leader along with his wife cast their vote for the state assembly polls.

14:49 (IST)

Chhattisgarh LIVE Updates

Bhupesh Baghel says, "Good news from everywhere...."

#WATCH | Chhattisgarh Elections | Durg: Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel says, "Good news is coming from everywhere. People are reaching the polling booth and exercising their voting rights. I appeal to those who are at home to cast their vote... Everywhere there is a one-sided… pic.twitter.com/dDzjgAcUkq— ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2023

14:38 (IST)

Assembly Elections LIVE

Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh Election Updates 

• Madhya Pradesh had a voter participation of 45.40 per cent, while Chhattisgarh had a voter turnout of 38.22 per cent in the second phase until 1 p.m.
• Polling for the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly and the 70-member Chhattisgarh House is presently ongoing.
• While all seats in Madhya Pradesh are now being voted on in a single round, the first phase of Chhattisgarh elections was held on November 7.
• In Chhattisgarh, voting for the second phase began at 8 p.m. and will continue till 3 p.m.
• However, voting in the Bindranavagarh Assembly constituency's nine polling locations is taking place from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• For the second phase of voting in Chhattisgarh, about 18,800 polling booths have been put up.
• A total of 958 candidates are running for the 70 seats where voting is now taking place.
• Voters can cast ballots until 6 p.m., with the exception of the Baihar, Lanji, and Parswara assembly seats in Balaghat district, as well as few booths in Mandla and Dindori districts, where voting will continue until 3 p.m.
• Meanwhile, polling in Madhya Pradesh for 230 Assembly seats began at 7 a.m. on Friday.
• The BJP wants to keep power in the state it has dominated for nearly 18 of the last 20 years, while the Congress wants to depose the Shivraj Singh Chouhan administration. Webcasting is also available at around 42,000 polling locations.
• For security purposes, around 700 central forces companies and two lakh state police officers have been deployed. The election will determine the fortunes of almost 2,500 candidates.
• Approximately 5.59 crore electors are eligible to vote. It has 2.87 crore male voters and 2.71 crore female voters.
• According to authorities, there are almost 5,000 booths handled by women and 183 polling stations run by the disabled. The polls, which take place about six months before the Lok Sabha elections, are critical for both the BJP and the Congress for a variety of reasons.
• The ballots for the five states, which include Rajasthan, Telangana, and Mizoram, will be counted on December 3.

14:29 (IST)

Madhya Pradesh LIVE Updates

Voting in Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections continues

#WATCH | Voting in Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections continues

"Voting is underway peacefully in all four assembly constituencies under Sidhi district. Law and order are maintained. Any complaints received are being addressed immediately. There are 247 sensitive booths in the… pic.twitter.com/yXy8bcbb88— ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2023

14:27 (IST)

Madhya Pradesh LIVE Updates

People want to vote for change, says Congress leader Jitendra Patwari

VIDEO | "I believe more than 75 per cent voting will be done (in Madhya Pradesh). People want to vote for change. They are looking towards with hopeful eyes," says Congress leader @jitupatwari. #MadhyaPradeshElection2023 #AssemblyElectionsWithPTI pic.twitter.com/bNOtT0jU1p— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 17, 2023

14:16 (IST)

Chhattisgarh LIVE Updates

Chhattisgarh CM casts his vote in Jheet village of Patan Assembly constituency

VIDEO | Chhattisgarh CM @bhupeshbaghel casts his vote in Jheet village of Patan Assembly constituency. #ChhattisgarhElections2023 #AssemblyElectionsWithPTI pic.twitter.com/cX0vjIqPiC— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 17, 2023

14:06 (IST)

Madhya Pradesh LIVE Updates

Stones pelted outside polling station in Mehgaon assembly constituency

Stones were pelted outside a polling station in Manhad village of Mehgaon assembly constituency of Bhind during the ongoing voting in Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections today.

Stones were pelted outside a polling station in Manhad village of Mehgaon assembly constituency of Bhind during the ongoing voting in Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections today

"Voting is going on well here. We are trying to find out what exactly happened earlier," says ADM Bhind,… pic.twitter.com/Q5vMyyKHpD— ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2023

14:05 (IST)

Madhya Pradesh LIVE Updates

‘Free flow of liquor, money to lure voters,’ alleges Kamal Nath as MP votes

Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and Congress state unit president, Kamal Nath on Friday said he was confident that the grand old party would wrest power in the state from the ruling BJP and also alleged that liquor and money was being distributed freely in the state to lure voters.

Shortly before casting his vote in the ongoing elections in Madhya Pradesh, Kamal Nath said, “I have faith in the people to make the right choice. I trust the public to side with the truth.”

Read More

13:56 (IST)

Assembly Elections LIVE

MP records 45.40% voter turnout till 1 pm, Chhattisgarh sees 38.22%

38.22% voter turnout recorded till 1 pm in the second phase of voting in Chhattisgarh and 45.40% in Madhya Pradesh. pic.twitter.com/FIR1pFdvp0— ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2023

13:54 (IST)

Madhya Pradesh LIVE Updates

Not in race for chief minister's post, says Jyotiraditya Scindia

Union minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jyotiraditya Scindia on Friday said he was not in the race for the chief minister's post in Madhya Pradesh.

Scindia on Friday cast his vote at a polling booth in Gwalior.

"I have told you (media) earlier, I am not in the chief ministerial race. I was neither in this race earlier nor today. You have asked me repeatedly in 2013, 2018 and now and I told you the same," he said after casting his vote.

The civil aviation minister also said that the people of the state would make Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) win this election with full majority in order to secure their future, and for development and progress.

The BJP has not projected any chief ministerial face in the state, where polling for the 230-member assembly is currently underway.

13:52 (IST)

Madhya Pradesh LIVE Updates

Liquor sales up by 15 pc in MP before it went dry' for assembly polls

Liquor sales in Madhya Pradesh jumped by around 15 per cent between Monday and Wednesday evening before the state went dry ahead of Friday's assembly polls to check malpractices, an excise official said.

According to the official, 8,67,282 litres of all types of alcohol, including country-made and Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), was sold on November 13. The figures for the next two days stood at 9,17,823 and 8,81,550 litres, he said.

13:47 (IST)

Chhattisgarh LIVE Updates

‘The fight here is one-sided; there is no competition’: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel

Ahead of casting his vote, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and Congress candidate from Durg assembly constituency Bhupesh Baghel on Friday said, "We are more than 75 seats...The fight here is one-sided; there is no competition."

Polling for the 70 seats of the 90-member assembly began today at 8 am on Friday. Voting for the first phase in Chhattisgarh for 20 seats was held on November 7.

13:27 (IST)

Madhya Pradesh LIVE Updates

Heavy security deployed outside polling booths in Morena

Heavy security was posted outside the Dimani Assembly seat polling booths 147-148 in Mirghan, Morena, where one person was hurt in a stone pelting incident. The situation has been stabilised.

#WATCH | Madhya Pradesh Elections | Heavy security deployed outside polling booths 147-148 of Dimani Assembly constituency, in Mirghan, Morena where one person was injured in an incident of stone pelting. The situation is now under control. https://t.co/2Fc0HRQwV3 pic.twitter.com/4BywZtlUrE— ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2023

13:24 (IST)

Madhya Pradesh LIVE Updates

'Kursi ka race Congress ki hai'...says BJP leader Jyotiraditya Scindia on CM face

#WATCH | On CM's face, Union Minister and BJP leader Jypotiraditya Scindia says "I have always said that I am not in the race for the Chief Minister. I was never in the race, neither in 2013, 2018 or 2023. The race is for the development and growth of PM. 'Kursi ka race Congress… pic.twitter.com/yxFG5KWS4l— ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2023

13:17 (IST)

Chattisgarh LIVE Updates

19.65 pc voter turnout till 11 am

A voter turnout of 19.65 per cent was recorded till 11 am in 70 assembly constituencies for the second phase of the Chhattisgarh elections that began on Friday under a thick security blanket of police and paramilitary personnel, a poll official said.

Polling in 70 constituencies began at 8 am and will conclude at 5 pm, except in nine polling booths in the Naxal-affected Bindranawagarh seat in Gariaband district, where voting began at 7 for security reasons, a poll official said.

The booths in Bindranawagarh where voting will be held from 7 am to 3 pm are Kamarbhaudi, Amamora, Odh, Bade Gobra, Ganwargaon, Gariba, Nagesh, Sahbinkachhar and Kodomali.

Till 11 am, 19.65 per cent turnout was recorded in 70 constituencies, he said.

13:15 (IST)

Madhya Pradesh LIVE Updates

Who is Prakhar Pratap Singh, youngest candidate in MP?

The highly anticipated five-state assembly election entered its second phase as heartland state Madhya Pradesh goes to vote for 230 seats today.

The fate of 2,533 state candidates will be determined by more than 5.9 crore voters.

Despite the Congress and BJP controlling the electoral narrative in MP, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has made its entry by fielding 66 candidates.

Read More

13:12 (IST)

Madhya Pradesh LIVE Updates

28.18 pc voter turnout till 11 am, says official

Over 28.18 per cent of electorates exercised their franchise till 11 am in Madhya Pradesh, where polling began on Friday morning for the 230-member assembly.

There are 2,533 candidates in the fray including political heavyweights like Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his predecessor and rival Kamal Nath.

Till 11 am, 28.18 per cent of voters cast their votes in the state, a poll official said.

Polling began at 7 am across all 230 constituencies, including 47 reserved for ST and 35 for the SC, in the state, the official said.

13:03 (IST)

Chattisgarh LIVE Updates

Raipur Northern constituency gets all-women adminstration

For the first time in Chhattisgarh, the Raipur Northern Assembly constituency election will witness an all-women administration. This also marks the first time in the country's democratic history that women will shoulder the entire responsibility of an election.

As part of ‘Sangwari booths’ initiative women officers take sole responsibility for the Raipur North Assembly constituency election. They will oversee tasks ranging from mock polls to the submission of election materials.