Chandigarh, Oct 15- Chandigarh, Oct 15- About 75.5 per cent of the more than 1.63 crore electors exercised their right to vote in Haryana upto 7:30 p.m. as polling was held for general elections in the State today thus breaking the previous record of maximum polling of 72.65 per cent in the year 1967.
While stating this here today, Chief Electoral Officer, Haryana, Mr Shrikant Walgad said that the statistics of votes polled today were preliminary.
He said that by and large the polling was peaceful, but some sporadic incidents of violence were reported from some parts of the State.
He said that the reported death of a child in district Mewat was not poll related. He said that there were allegations of people forcefully entering the polling booths, but the polling continued without any disruption. He said that in district Sirsa, there was an incident of firing in a village and the police is investigating the case. However, the polling continued without any disruption. Also, in Barwala, there was an incident of stone pelting and torching of motorcycles. Inspector General Police and Deputy Commissioner visited the site. However, there too the polling continued.
He said that 127 control units and 40 ballot units were replaced before the mock drill for polling.
He said that during the earlier assembly elections in the State, a maximum of 72.29 per cent votes were polled in 2009, 71.96 per cent in 2005, 71.24 per cent in 1987 and 70.54 per cent in 1996. Similarly, 70.46 per cent votes were polled in 1972 followed by 69.87 per cent in 1982, 69.01 per cent in the year 2000, 65.86 per cent in 1991, 64.46 per cent in 1977 and 57.26 per cent in 1968.
He said that polling had begun at the scheduled time of 7 a.m. at all the 16,357 polling booths and it picked up gradually. The people were very enthusiastic to exercise their right to vote.
During the General Elections-2014, the total voters include 87,37,116 males, 74,79,439 females, 88,662 service voters including 12 NRI voters. Out of the total candidates, 116 are females.
Mr. Walgad said that candidates of Congress and BJP were contesting elections from all 90 Assembly Constituencies of the state whereas 88 candidates of INLD, 87 of BSP, 65 of HJC, 17 of CPM, 14 of CPI and 297 of Registered Parties and 603 Independent Candidates contested the elections.
He said that now the polled EVMs would be kept in the strong rooms in the presence of the observers and these would be handed over to CRPF. The candidates or their agents could also be present when the EVMs would be stored.