After a sluggish start, voter turnout in Maharashtra started to pick up, reaching 45.53 per cent by 3.00 pm in the single-phase assembly elections on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Jharkhand recorded comparatively a higher voter turnout of 61.47 per cent in the second phase of assembly polls in Jh
The move comes after Supriya Sule, Member of Parliament from the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar faction), filed a cybercrime complaint with the Election Commission of India following allegations of using bitcoin to fund the ongoing Maharashtra Assembly elections.
Maharashtra recorded a voter turnout of 32.18 per cent in the single-phase assembly elections while a turnout of 47.92 per cent was recorded in the second phase of assembly polls in Jharkhand as of 1 pm, according to the Election Commission of India.
According to the Election Commission of India, Maharashtra has recorded a voter turnout of 18.14 per cent till 11 am whereas the Jharkhand has recorded 31.37 per cent.
A voter turnout of 18.14 per cent was recorded till 11 am in the single-phase assembly elections in Maharashtra while Jharkhand recorded a turnout of 31.37 per cent by the same time in the second phase of assembly polls, according to the Election Commission of India.
Maharashtra recorded a voter turnout of 6.61 per cent in the single-phase assembly elections while Jharkhand recorded a voter turnout of 12.71 percent in the second phase of assembly elections, as of 9 am, according to the Election Commission of India.
"The arrangements (at the polling station) were very good. I congratulate the Election Commission. The elections are being held in the middle of the week, so everyone is expecting a high voter turnout," Das said after casting his vote.
Former Chief Minister of Rajasthan and Congress leader Ashok Gehlot expressed strong criticism of the Election Commission, claiming that it has failed to uphold its responsibilities during the campaigning for the assembly polls in Maharashtra and Jharkhand.
CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat alleged that the BJP leaders have spread poison during campaign for Jharkhand elections and asked what is the Election Commission doing to address the issue. She asked for whom were they using the word infiltrators.
While the BJP had complained against Rahul Gandhi, the Congress had complained to the Election Commission over some remarks made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah in their election speeches.
BJP leader Pradeep Bhandari has strongly condemned Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's remarks about the BJP-RSS, calling them "inciteful" and urging the Election Commission of India (ECI) to take action.