Chhatisgarh assembly elections: Second phase voting for 70 constituencies to be held on Friday The voting for the second phase of Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections 2023 will be held on Friday from 8am to 5pm, Election Commission of India said in a press conference today.

Around 70 legislative assemblies spanning across 22 districts will vote in the second phase. Voting on all polling stations will start at 8 am and conclude at 5 pm except for 9 centres of Bindra Nawagarh constituencies where voting will be held from 7 am to 3 pm.

Addressing a press conference in Raipur today, Chhattisgarh Chief Electoral Officer Reena Babasaheb Kangale said, “The second phase of voting for Chhattisgarh legislative assembly will be held tomorrow. In the second phase, voting will be done on around 70 legislative assembly regions in 22 districts. The time for voting for all 70 legislative assemblies will be 8am to 5pm.”

The first phase of voting for the Chhattisgarh assembly elections was held on November 7 along with Mizoram. Of the five states where voting in being held this month, Chhattisgarh is the only one where votes are being cast in two phases.

In the first phase, voting was held for 20 assembly constituencies and a voter turnout of 70.87 per cent was recorded till 5 pm.

There is a direct contest between the Congress and the BJP in Chhattisgarh with both the parties fighting it out to cross the magic number of 46 seats.

Chhattisgarh witnessed intense electioneering with top leaders from both parties, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief JP Nadda, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, leading the charge of their respective parties.

While the Congress is hopeful of a comfortable retention of power in Chhattisgarh, the BJP is also claiming to secure majority. Former state Chief Minister Raman Singh has said that the BJP will get clear majority in the polls.

While both parties are hopeful of a clear majority, their fate will be sealed tomorrow and it will be known on December 3 when the Election Commission is scheduled to announce the results.