BHOPAL, 22 November 2004 — Sporadic violence, shootouts, attempted booth-capturing and bogus voting marred the first phase of civic elections in Madhya Pradesh on Saturday. The result was a re-poll being ordered in nine booths in four districts, including Indore and Bhopal. One person died and several were injured in violent clashes and gunfire.
According to State Election Commission sources, 70.23 percent of the four million voters exercised their franchise. Burhanpur recorded the highest percentage with 70 percent of eligible voters voting and Bhopal the lowest with 50.37 percent. Results will be announced on Nov. 24.
Incidents of violence were reported from Vidisha, Indore, Morena and Bhind. In one area of Bhopal, shots were fired in the air in the afternoon after supporters of Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Shafiq Machhliwala and independent candidate Rafiq Qureshi clashed over allegations of bogus voting. No one was injured in the incident.
In the first phase, polling was held in 3,008 wards in 11 municipal corporations, 45 municipalities and 88 nagar panchayats.
