RAIPUR: Voting began on Tuesday morning in the first phase of assembly elections in Chhattisgarh under a thick security blanket of police and paramilitary personnel, who kept a tight vigil in the seats in Naxalite-hit Bastar division.
A CRPF commando was injured in an IED blast triggered by Naxalites in Sukma district while his unit was undertaking an area domination operation to ensure security during the polls.
Polling began at 7 am in 10 of the 20 assembly constituencies where elections are being held in the first phase. It will end at 3 pm.
Polling in the remaining 10 seats in the first phase started at 8 am and will end at 5 pm, an official said.
In the first phase covering 20 of the total 90 assembly seats, 223 candidates, including 25 women, are in the fray and as per electoral rolls, 40,78,681 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise.
The ruling Congress and the opposition BJP are the main contenders for power in the state.
Women voters outnumber men in seats covered under the first phase of polling. As many as 20,84,675 female voters are on the rolls while the number of male voters is 19,93,937. There are 69 third gender voters as well.