74 per cent turnout in Arunachal Pradesh repolling

An estimated 74 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the repolling at eight polling stations across four assembly constituencies of Arunachal Pradesh conducted on Wednesday amid elaborate security arrangements, an election official said.
    
The poll percentage, however, is likely to go up as hundreds of voters stood in queues to exercise their franchise even after the scheduled time for voting was over.
    
The total number of registered voters was 4,469 in the eight polling stations where voting began at 6 am and ended at 2 pm.
    
The repolling was necessitated following reports of violence, including damage to electronic voting machines (EVMs), during the simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the state on April 19, the official said.
    
The Election Commission had ordered repolling in Sario under the Bameng assembly constituency in East Kameng district, Longte Loth in the Nyapin segment in Kurung Kumey, and Bogne and Molom booths under the Rumgong seat in Siang. Dingser, Bogiya Siyum, Jimbari and Lengi under the Nacho constituency in Upper Subansiri were also on the list of booths where repolling was carried out, Chief Electoral Officer Pawan Kumar Sain said.
    
Elaborate security arrangements were made for the repolling.

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"For these eight polling stations, we had an extensive deployment of security personnel and we will ensure that this time, if something happens or if anybody tries to snatch or touch the EVMs unlawfully, strict action will be initiated," he said.
    
An estimated 82.71 per cent of the total 8,92,694 voters had exercised their franchise on April 19 to elect 50 MLAs for the 60-member assembly in the northeastern state.
    
The ruling BJP has already won ten assembly seats unopposed. The turnout in the Lok Sabha polls in the state was recorded at 77.51 per cent.
    
Counting of votes for assembly elections would be held on June 2, while that of Lok Sabha polls would be on June 4.