Date:05/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/05/stories/2008120561361700.htm

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Stray violence mars Rajasthan polling

Special Correspondent

PHOTO: PTI

EXERCISING THEIR RIGHT: Women on their way to cast their votes forRajasthan Assembly elections at Lavana near Jaipur on Thursday.

JAIPUR: Stray incidents of violence and clashes among political and caste groups marred polling for the 200-member Rajasthan Assembly on Thursday, when an estimated 65-68 per cent of the 3.62 crore electorate exercised their franchise.

Thousands of police and paramilitary personnel kept vigil during the polling across the desert State.

In front of more than 42,200 booths in the geographically largest State were long queues during the nine hours of balloting which ended at 5 p.m. There were 2,194 candidates, including 151 women, in the fray.

Clashes among supporters of different parties and complaints of EVMs developing technical snags were reported from various places. There were sporadic incidents of stone throwing, firing in the air, attempts at booth capturing, damage to vehicles and skirmishes and fight among individuals.

One person suffered bullet injuries near Balghat village in the Todabhim constituency when a supporter of BJP dissident leader Kirorilal Meena fired on a group of Gujjar voters on their way to a booth. He was later arrested and identified as Hola Singh Meena.

According to police sources, a Central Reserve Police Force jawan fired in the air to disperse a violent crowd at Badikhera village in the Ladpura constituency of Kota district. No one was injured.

State Chief Electoral Officer Vinod Zutshi said polling was not disturbed anywhere and the voter turnout was steady throughout the day after polling started on a brisk note in the morning. As many as 12 districts and over 8,400 polling stations had been declared sensitive where security was beefed up.

Mr. Zutshi said the final figures of polling percentage would be received from all constituencies by Friday and the decision, if any, about a re-poll in the areas of disturbances would be taken after that.

The opposition Congress is contesting all 200 Assembly seats, while the ruling BJP has fielded its candidates in 193 constituencies and allotted the rest to its allies in the National Democratic Alliance.