Voting commenced on Friday in Chhattisgarh where exercise of franchise is underway amid heavy security arrangements across 70 Assembly constituencies in the second and final phase of polling.

It was officially learnt that the polling centres number 18,833 and the timings are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

barring nine places in Bindranawagarh constituency where the timings are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Webcasting has been arranged at 9,424 centres and videography at hypersensitive ones.

The 1,63,14,479-strong electorate includes 81,72,171 women and 684 of the third gender.

The fortunes of 958 candidates including 130 women and one of the third gender are being sealed in electronic voting machines.

The prominent nominees include Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel (Patan), his deputy Tribhuvaneshwar Saran Singh Deo (Ambikapur), Vidhan Sabha Speaker Charan Das Mahant (Sakti), BJP state President Arun Sao (Lormi), Janata Congress head Renu Jogi (Kota) and Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Renuka Singh Saruta (Bharatpur-Sonhat).

Counting is slated for December 3.

(With UNI Inputs)