Chhattisgarh’s urban local body elections concluded on Tuesday amid both commendable voter enthusiasm and a series of controversies. With a statewide turnout of 68.1%, citizens across 173 municipal bodies, comprising 10 municipal corporations, 49 municipal councils, and 114 nagar panchayats, went to the polls from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
According to state officials, female voter participation was robust at 67.8%, outpacing the 64.06% recorded for male voters, while transgender participation stood at 9.9%. In Raipur Municipal Corporation, however, the turnout was notably lower at 44.5% by 4 p.m.
This year’s elections marked a first in the state as voters cast ballots simultaneously for the posts of mayor, council chairperson, and ward councillor using Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). The electoral fray featured 79 mayoral candidates, 606 aspirants for the chairperson post, and 1,889 candidates contesting for councillor positions.
The process was carried out over 5,992 polling stations, of which 1,531 were classified as sensitive and 132 as hyper-sensitive, to ensure security and order. In addition, five bypolls were conducted in Durg and Sukma districts to fill vacant seats.
Despite the overall success, the polling day was not without incidents. In Dhamtari, a 65 year old voter, Kunj Bihari, suffered a fatal heart attack at a polling booth in Ward 12. His sudden demise cast a somber shadow over the otherwise energetic exercise.
Allegations of electoral malpractice also surfaced. In Surajpur and Raigarh, Congress workers accused BJP candidates of distributing money and even buckets to sway voters. Meanwhile, in Durg, BJP candidate Roshni Sahu lodged a complaint against independent rival Babita Yadav, alleging that “black magic”- specifically, lemon-cutting rituals near a school, was being employed to influence votes.
Administrative glitches further complicated matters. In Raipur’s Bhagwati Charan Shukla Ward, a family of four was reportedly stranded after their voter slips directed them to different polling stations. In another instance, Vijay Mishra of Agroha Society noted that his wife, Ratna, was assigned to a booth in Ward 70 while his own slip directed him to Ward 69 locations, nearly 3 km apart.
Despite glitches, enthusiasm marked the day, with long queues at booths. The BJP and Congress set up help desks outside centers, while AAP’s stalls saw sparse footfall. “Voters are coming, but in limited numbers. It’s their choice,” said an AAP volunteer in Bilaspur.
With the counting of votes slated for February 15, the outcome of these urban polls is expected to have significant implications for both the BJP and Congress in Chhattisgarh. As the state awaits its verdict, the day’s events underscore the resilience of its democracy, even as systemic gaps call for further scrutiny.