Madhya Pradesh election LIVE: Voter turnout of 71.11% recorded till 5:00 pm

Madhya Pradesh Assembly Elections 2023 Live Updates: Catch all the latest updates of Madhya Pradesh elections 2023 here

Madhya Pradesh Assembly election: Polling began for all 230 Assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh today, where 2,533 candidates, including state Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his predecessor Kamal Nath are in the fray. While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is seeking to retain power in the state, Congress is keen to depose the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led government in the state. 

The polling will be held from 7am to 6 pm in the Hindi heartland state. However, in Baihar, Lanji, and Parswara Assembly seats of Balaghat district and some booths of Mandla and Dindori districts, voting will be held till 3 pm. The webcasting facility has been made available at about 42,000 polling stations. Nearly 700 companies of central forces and two lakh police personnel of the state have been deployed for security during the poll. 

The election will decide the electoral fate of over 2,500 candidates. Nearly 55.9 million voters are eligible to exercise their franchise. It includes 28.7 million male and 27.1 million women voters. There are over 5,000 booths run by women and 183 polling stations run by the disabled. The polls, coming nearly six months ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, are crucial for both BJP and Congress for various reasons.

The state witnessed intense campaigning by both BJP and Congress as the parties went all out to woo the voters. Electioneering saw PM Modi, Shah, BJP president JP Nadda, Union minister Rajnath Singh, MP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, among others, touring the state and addressing election meetings to drum up support for saffron party nominees in all the 230 seats. Congress president Kharge, his predecessor Rahul Gandhi, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi-Vadra, MPCC chief Kamal Nath, former chief minister Digvijaya Singh, among others, addressed public rallies to garner support for their 230 candidates. 

6:09 PM

71.11% of voting was held in Madhya Pradesh till 5:00 pm

3:58 PM

Madhya Pradesh election 2023: Voter turnout of 60.4% recorded till 3 pm

A voter turnout of 60.52 per cent has been recorded till 3 pm in Madhya Pradesh, data from the Election Commission shows.

2:31 PM

What did Nakul Nath say about being stopped from entering polling station

"Today morning, I went to the polling centres to take stock of the situation. I received a call from my party workers, who informed that BJP councillor was misbehaving with women voters at ward no. 25. They are claiming that I was trying to barge into the polling centre, but I wasn't doing any such thing," Nakul Nath, son of former Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath, said after he was stopped from entering a polling station.

 

2:29 PM

‘There is an undercurrent for change,’ says Digvijaya Singh's wife Amrita Rai

"There is an undercurrent for a change. Women very intelligent and they take their decisions diligently. It is time for women to take a tough decision as on the one hand there is some greed and on the other their future and hope are at stake," said Amrita Rai, wife of Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, after casting her vote in Bhopal.

1:53 PM

Madhya Pradesh Assembly election: Over 45% voter turnout recorded till 1 pm

1:22 PM

Heavy security deployed outside polling booths of Dimani Assembly constituency

1:16 PM

Digvijaya Singh slams Narottam Mishra, says he has ‘no right to contest election’

Slamming BJP leader Narottam Mishra's 'celebrations in Pakistan' remark, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said, "It is an inciting statement. Strict action should be taken against him [Narottam Mishra]. He should be served notice immediately. This person has no right to contest the election."

1:14 PM

Liquor sales up by 15% in MP before it went dry for assembly polls

Liquor sales in Madhya Pradesh jumped by around 15 per cent between Monday and Wednesday evening before the state went dry ahead of Friday's assembly polls to check malpractices, an excise official said.

 

According to the official, 8,67,282 litres of all types of alcohol, including country-made and Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL), was sold on November 13. The figures for the next two days stood at 9,17,823 and 8,81,550 litres, he said.

 

Last year, alcohol sales were around 7,42,092 litres, 7,71,331 litres, and 7,67,273 litres on November 13, 14 and 15, respectively, he said.

12:51 PM

Digvijaya Singh, his wife Amrita Rai cast their votes in Bhopal

12:17 PM

'Atmosphere is in favor of BJP': BJP candidate Narendra Singh Tomar

After casting his vote, Union Minister and BJP candidate Narendra Singh Tomar said, "There is a wave of BJP in Madhya Pradesh, the atmosphere is in favour of BJP and people are liking the schemes and development works of the central government and state government. BJP will form the government with a clear majority. I have cast my vote and here also the atmosphere is in favor of BJP."

12:05 PM

BJP leader Uma Bharti cast her vote in Tikamgarh

Former Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Uma Bharti cast her vote at her native place Dunda, Tikamgarh today.

12:02 PM

Madhya Pradesh election: Stone pelted outside polling station in Bhind

Stones were pelted outside the polling station in Manhad village of Mehgaon Assembly constituency of Bhind. BJP candidate Rakesh Shukla has sustained minor injuries during the incident. 

12:01 PM

Former Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan casts her vote in Indore

11:50 AM

'We will get at least 160 seats,' says Congress candidate Sanjay Shukla

After casting his vote, Congress Candidate Sanjay Shukla on Friday said, "The atmosphere in Madhya Pradesh is in favour of Congress. People have seen 18 years of corrupt government. This time Congress government will be formed under the leadership of Kamal Nath and we will get at least 160 seats."

11:49 AM

Congress candidate Sanjay Shukla casts his vote | Watch