Maharashtra records 45.53 pc voting, Gadchiroli tops with 62.99 pc polling

Mumbai, Nov 20 (ANS) Maharashtra has recorded 45.53 per cent voting in 288 Assembly constituencies up to 3 p.m. The Naxal-infested Gadchiroli topped the list with a record 62.99 per cent turnout.

Ahmednagar recorded 47.85 per cent, Akola - 44.45 per cent, Amravati -45.13 per cent, Aurangabad- 47.05 per cent, Beed - 46.15 per cent, Bhandara - 51.32 per cent, Buldhana -47.48 per cent, Chandrapur- 49.87 per cent, Dhule - 47.62 per cent, Gadchiroli -62.99 per cent, Gondia -53.88 per cent, Hingoli - 49.64 per cent, Jalgaon - 40.62 per cent, Jalna- 50.14 per cent, Kolhapur- 54.06 per cent, Latur- 48.34 per cent, Mumbai City - 39.34 per cent, Mumbai suburbs- 40.89 per cent, Nagpur - 44.45 per cent, Nanded - 42.87 per cent, Nandurbar- 51.16 per cent, Nashik- 46.86 per cent, Osmanabad- 45.81 per cent, Palghar- 46.82 per cent, Parbhani- 48.84 per cent, Pune - 41.70 per cent, Raigad - 48.13 per cent, Ratnagiri- 50.04 per cent, Sangli - 48.39 per cent, Satara - 49.82 per cent, Sindhudurg- 51.05 per cent, Solapur -43.49 per cent, Thane - 38.94 per cent, Wardha - 49.68 per cent, Washim- 43.67 per cent and Yavatmal - 48.81 per cent.

In Parli Assembly Constituency, a polling station was vandalised in Ghatnandur after an NCP-SP leader was attacked. Due to this incident, tension prevailed in the area and a large police force was deployed in the village.

The Sharad Pawar-led NCP leader Madhav Jadhav was beaten up in Parli where the party nominee Rajesaheb Deshmukh is contesting against NCP minister Dhananjay Munde. After the video of the beating went viral on social media, the party workers gathered there and condemned the incident.

Jadhav's supporters entered the polling booth in the village and vandalised it. The voting machine was damaged which halted voting for some time. A large contingent of police and state reserve police personnel were deployed to maintain law and order. The police sources said that the situation is under control.

NCP minister Dhananjay Munde has demanded action in this case. He appealed to the Election Commission to take note of the incident and initiate action against those who are engaged in defaming Parli. He also suggested that police protection be provided to the candidates of all parties.

Voting at Rohkal centre in Paranda taluka was disrupted after a technical snag in the voting machine that was reported at 1.35 p.m. However, it later resumed at 2.20 p.m.

Meanwhile, the police have registered a case against Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena nominee Kedar Dighe from Kapri Pachpakhadi in connection with the distribution of liquor and money. Dighe is locked in a direct fight against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

The Leader of Opposition in the state council and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve uploaded a video where Shiv Sena nominee Sanjay Shirsat is reportedly abusing the party leaders.

Source: IANS