Chhattisgarh elections LIVE updates: Final phase of polling underway; 45.2% total voter turnout till 2:55 PM

The second phase of the Chhattisgarh assembly elections began on Tuesday at 8:00 am.

The security was beefed up in the Naxal-affected regions of the state following multiple attacks by Maoists over the past month.

Over 19,296 polling booths have been set up for the 72 constituencies across Chhattisgarh. 

However, polling in a few regions were paused after the electronic voting machines (EVMs) stopped working. This happened in Urumduga polling booth in the Baikunthpur Vidhan Sabha and Bharatpur Sonhat Vidhan Sabha. 

The total voter turnout till 2:55 PM was recorded as 45.2 percent. 

As the polling is underway in many districts of Chhattisgarh, many voters have discovered that their names are missing from the voter's list. 

In Boriakala in Raipur, over 1100 names are missing. According to Firstpost, 99 names are missing in Booth 243 while 1061 names are missing in Booth 244. 

A total of 25.2 percent people voted will 12 noon in Chhattisgarh.

 Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, Rajyavardhan Rathore requested everyone in Chhattisgarh to vote.

He tweeted, "Your vote is your voice. I urge all the voters of Chhattisgarh to come out and cast their vote. Your vote will decide the future of Chhattisgarh!"

"We are definitely returning to power in Chhattisgarh after a gap of 15 years because there is a very strong anti-incumbency wave against the Raman Singh and Narendra Modi governments in the state and at the Centre," Senior Congress leader and former union minister Veerappa Moily told PTI. 

In a tweet, PM Modi urged the residents of Chhattisgarh to vote. He said, "Today is the second and final phase of the vote in Chhattisgarh. I request all the voters to vote in a huge number with full enthusiasm to make democracy a success."

A total of 12.54 percent voting has been recording in Chhattisgarh till 10 AM on Tuesday. the voting started at 8 AM and will go on till 5 PM. 

this is the second and final phase of polling in the state. 

A group of Congress leaders, led by PL Punia met the Election Commission in Delhi claiming that the EVMs used for the Chhattisgarh polls have been tampered. 

On Tuesday, there were multiple instances across Chhattisgarh, of the machines malfunctioning, bringing the voting process to a halt. 

BJP candidate Siddhnath Paikra contesting from Samri was caught by the Chhattisgarh police for carrying Rs 2 lakh in cash while he was travelling in his vehicle on Monday night.

Polling in Jashpur and other parts of Chhattisgarh hit an obstacle due to malfunctioning Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). 

Other places with malfunctioning EVMs are Dhamtari, Mowa and Raipur. Firstpost reports that the machine stopped working after only 30 votes were placed. 

Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi is standing for polls from Marwahi while his wife Renu, is contesting from Kota. Jogi's daughter-in-law Richa is contesting with a Bahujan Samaj Party ticket from Akaltara seat. 

Jogi, the former Congress leader, served as the chief minister of Chhattisgarh for three years before he formed his own party, Janata Congress Chhattisgarh. 

One month ago, Jogi gave Congress a shock by aligning himself and his party with the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Communist Party of India (CPI).  

The Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress and the Ajit Jogi-BSP-CPI alliance are fighting for 72 seats across 19 districts. 

BJP and Congress are contesting in all the 72 seats. BSP are fighting for 24 seats while the Jogi-led Janata Congress Chhattisgarh are competing for 46 seats. 

Aam Aadmi Party has candidates competing in 66 constituencies. 

Special pink polling booths exclusively for women have been set up in Jaspur to encourage more people to vote. 

Not a single voter showed up at the Bhatgaon constituency for polling on Tuesday. They are protesting over the lack of development in the region.