Maharashtra Assembly polls see 58.2% voter turnout

More than 58.2% of Maharashtra voters had turned up to cast their ballots in the single-phase Assembly election by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, though the State’s Chief Electoral Officer S. Chockalingam told The Hindu that the final turnout is expected to cross the 61.6% recorded during the 2019 Assembly poll. Polling concluded peacefully, barring minor skirmishes in Beed district.

Voters will decide the fate of 4,136 candidates contesting in 288 Assembly constituencies. The counting of votes is scheduled for November 23.

“Polling went off peacefully in the entire State, except for one or two incidents which were handled appropriately in Beed district, where there was some commotion in the polling stations as a result [of which] we had to replace the [electronic voting machines] EVMs,” Mr. Chockalingam said.