64 per cent turnout in Delhi
New Delhi: An impressive 64 per cent turnout was recorded in Lok Sabha polls for the seven seats in the coluntry’s capital where BJP is seeking victory riding on ‘Modi wave’ and AAP and Congress posing a challenge by promising good governance and development. Delhi Election Commission officials said around 64 per cent of 1.27 crore eligible voters exercised their franchise till 6 pm and the polling percentage may go up as thousands of people are still queuing up in various areas of the city even after the deadline for voting ended. In 2009 Lok Sabha polls, the overall voting percentage was recorded at 52.3 per cent, which had increased to 66 per cent in the 2013 Delhi assembly election in December last year. (PTI)
Maha: 56 pc polling in ten LS seats till 5 pm, no violence
Mumbai/Nagpur: About 56 per cent voting was reported in the ten Lok Sabha constituencies of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra till 5 pm on Thursday, Election Commission sources said. The percentage is likely to go up as the polling was scheduled to end at 6 pm. The constituency-wise percentages till 5 pm are as follows: Buldhana 53.86, Akola: 49.90, Amravati: 54.82, Wardha: 58.08, Ramtek: 50.00, Nagpur: 49.32, Bhandhara-gondiya: 58.60, Gadchiroli-Chimur: 61.00, Chandrapur: 55.80, Yavatmal- Washim: 49.46. Thursday’s elections would decide the fates of former BJP chief Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister Praful Patel (NCP), former minister of State Vilas Muttemwar (Congress) and Shivajirao Moghe (Congress), among others. (PTI)
Over 73 pc cast vote in Haryana;Chandigarh creates record
Chandigarh: Barring stray incidents, polling remained peaceful in 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana which witnessed healthy voter turnout of over 73 per cent on Thursday and Union Territory Chandigarh created a record of highest ever poll percentage of nearly 72 per cent. Polling began on a slow note in Haryana this morning but picked up pace as the day progressed and heavy voter turnout was witnessed at various places including Kurukshetra and Sirsa. “Over 1.6 crore eligible voters were to cast votes in the state,” officials said, adding that polling was by and large peaceful. Long queues were seen outside the booths at most of the places in Haryana, where polling was held in single phase and lone Lok Sabha seat of Chandigarh. (PTI)
MP: Poll boycott at some places; 36.81 pc polling till 2 pm
Bhopal: Amid reports of poll boycott at few polling stations due to various reasons including non-payment of wages under MNREGA, 36.81 per cent voters exercised their right to franchise in nine Lok Sabha seats under first phase of polling till 2 PM in Madhya Pradesh. Voters boycotted polls in Sidhi district’s Churhat and Patera polling centres for not getting wages under rural employment guarantee scheme MNREGA, while in Singrauli district’s Chakaria village, people are not taking part in voting because of issues related to power, water and roads. Farmers in Mandla district’s Nidhar village also boycotted polls for not getting compensation for damage to their crops and concerned officials there also were trying to pacify them. (PTI)
Over 53 pc polling in Jammu; 4 injured in sporadic clashes
Jammu: Over 53 per cent of the 17.63 lakh voters turned out to vote till 3 PM at the booths of Jammu Lok Sabha constituency, which witnessed boycott of voting in 4 polling stations and also sporadic clashes in which at least four political party workers were injured. “Over 53.2 per cent polling was witnessed in Jammu constituency till 1500 hours today,” according to the figures released by Jammu and Kashmir Election Department in its election bulletin here. (PTI)