Defying threat to life, people living in 12 worst Naxal-affected Lok Sabha constituencies exercised their franchise in good numbers and polling in some of these areas was as high as 78 per cent on April 10.
According to a report prepared by the Home Ministry, 56.40 per cent people cast their votes in Chhattisgarh's Bastar, which saw several violent incidents and death of nearly 20 people.
There was just 47.33 per cent polling in Bastar in 2009. Three constituencies in Jharkhand-- Chatra, Lohardaga and Palamau -- where polling was held on April 10, a large number of people defied the CPI(Maoists) call for poll boycott and exercised their franchise.
These three constituencies recorded 53.88 per cent, 59 per cent and 59.39 peer cent votes respectively. In 2009, 45.67 per cent people had cast their vote in Chatra, 52.21 per cent in Lohardaga and 45.94 per cent in Palamu.
In three constituencies in Bihar -- a total of 51 per cent people exercised their franchise in Aurangabad, 54 per cent in Gaya and 52 per cent in Jamui. In 2009, the three constituencies had recorded 43.50 per cent, 42.44 per cent and 38.12 per cent votes respectively.
Four constituencies in Odisha -- Bolangir (76 per cent), Kalahandi (74 per cent), Koraput (75.80 per cent) and Nabrangpur (78 per cent) also recorded the highest-ever vote. Naxal-affected constituency in Maharashtra Gadchiroli-Chimur saw a high 69.65 per cent votes on April 10.
The constituency had seen 65.21 per cent polling in 2009. The Centre has identified 33 districts in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Odisha, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh as highly sensitive as the highest number of violent incidents involving Maoists were reported in Lok Sabha elections in 2004 and 2009 and assembly polls in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2013 in these districts.
Besides, in 2013, there were 383 incidents of violence in Jharkhand in which 150 civilians and security personnel were killed and there were 353 such cases in Chhattisgarh where 110 people lost their lives.
In Bihar, 69 people, including security personnel, lost their lives in 176 incidents of violence in 2013 while 101 cases of violence were reported in Odisha in which 35 people were killed.
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