19 percent polling recorded in Arunachal Pradesh by 11 am

In Arunachal Pradesh, 19 per cent of voters had cast their ballots by 11 am in the Lok Sabha and assembly elections. The ruling BJP already secured 10 seats uncontested. Inclement weather initially hindered turnout, but improved later. Despite some technical glitches with EVMs, polling has been peaceful with many key officials casting their votes early.

An estimated 19 per cent of the total 8,92,694 voters exercised their franchise till 11 am on Friday in Arunachal Pradesh where polling is underway for two Lok Sabha seats and 50 assembly constituencies, officials said.

The ruling BJP has already won 10 seats in the 60-member assembly unopposed.

Though the turnout was moderate in the morning hours due to inclement weather, it gathered momentum with weather conditions improving.

In a few polling stations in the state, polling was delayed as the electronic voting machines (EVMs) developed technical snags which were later replaced, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Pawan Kumar Sain said.

According to reports from various districts, the polling remained peaceful so far without any incidents of violence, the CEO said Union Earth Science Minister Kiren Rijiju, Chief Minister Pema Khandu and Deputy CM Chowna Mein were among the early voters in the northeastern state.

Rijiju cast his vote in his village Nafra in the newly created Bichom district, while Khandu exercised his franchise at the government secondary school Bomba from where he did his schooling, in the Mukto constituency in Tawang district, the officials said.

Mein also exercised his franchise at Chowkham.

Governor Lt Gen (Retd) K T Parnaik and his wife Anagha Parnaik, cast their votes at Polling Station 1 at P Sector government secondary school, here.

''I had cast my vote as per the Constitutional privilege I have and I appeal to all the voters of the state to exercise their franchise and make our democracy a success,'' the governor told reporters. An estimated 8,92,694 voters, including 4,54,256 women, are eligible to exercise their franchise and decide the electoral fate of 133 candidates in the assembly polls and 14 Lok Sabha poll contestants.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)