New Delhi: The fifth and biggest round of India’s nine-phase national elections started this morning as voting began in 121 constituencies across 12 states.
Madhya Pradesh: A total of 51.2 per cent voters have exercised their franchise till 5 pm for 10 Lok Sabha seats during the second phase of polling in Madhya Pradesh amid reports of booth capturing at Pithua and Bakehana in Sagar Lok Sabha seat.
Of those who turned up so far, 58.4 per cent voters are men and 42.8 per cent are women and Guna recorded the highest turnout at 61.1 per cent so far, followed by Sagar at 59.1 per cent and Rajgarh at 58.95 per cent. The state capital recorded a turnout of 58.42 per cent.
The Election Commission is awaiting the district electoral officer’s report for further action on the booth capturing incident.
Maharashtra: Polling began today in 19 constituencies across Maharashtra during second phase of Lok Sabha election to decide the fate of 358 candidates, including Union Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, former state Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde.
About 3, 24, 27,558 electorate in constituencies of western Maharashtra, Marathwada and Konkan are eligible to cast their votes in this phase of polling.
Manipur: Polling began in Manipur for the second and last phase of Lok Sabha elections in the Inner Manipur constituency today.
Among the eight candidates contesting, prominent ones were sitting Congress MP Th Meinya, former Manipur University Professor R K Ranjan of BJP, former Manipur Rifles commandant S Manaobi of Trinamool Congress, senior CPI leader M Nara and the lone woman candidate O Indira an Independent.
Jharkhand: Around 62 per cent of the electorate voted in the second phase of polling in six Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand today amid Maoist violence that left five persons, including 4 CRPF men, injured.
Around 62 per cent polling was recorded in the second phase for six seats,” Chief Electoral Officer P K Jajoria said a press conference here.Polling was held in Ranchi, Giridih, Jamshedpur, Singhbhum (ST), Khunti (ST) and Hazaribagh seats under strict security and helicopter surveillance.
The first phase of the polls was held in four constituencies on April 10. The third and last phase would be held on April 24 in four seats—-Dumka, Raj Mahal, Godda and Dhanbad.
West Bengal: The first of the five-phase Lok Sabha poll in West Bengal began today in four constituencies of Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Cooch Behar and Alipurduar.
Of the 47 candidates, including three women, four each were from Trinamool Congress, Congress, BJP and BSP, while two were from the CPI(M) and one each from the RSP and Forward Bloc.
Karnataka: An estimated 65 per cent of the 4.62 crore voters in Karnataka exercised their franchise today for 28 Lok Sabha seats in the single-phase polls in which the ruling Congress and BJP are playing for high stakes.
The elections held under the watchful eyes of some 85,000 security personnel, including the central forces, passed off peacefully with no major untoward incident, officials said.
Voting ranged from moderate to brisk in the initial hours touching about 25 per cent till around noon but gathered pace reaching 47 per cent at 3 pm and 60 per cent by 5 pm, Chief Electoral Officer Anil Kumar Jha said to news agency.
Polling in the three constituencies of Bangalore – South, Central and North – was more than 50 per cent till 5 pm, he said, adding that the final polling percentage would go up further.
Odisha: Voting opened today for the simultaneous second and last phase election to 11 Lok Sabha and 77 Assembly constituencies in Odisha.
Over 1.55 crore voters are eligible to record their choices in 18,692 booths, for which 1.41 lakh polling personnel have been requisitioned.
An estimated 58 per cent voters exercised their franchise till 4:30 PM for the simultaneous second and last phase of the elections to the 11 Lok Sabha and 77 assembly constituencies in Odisha today.
Repolling was also being held in 22 booths in eight assembly segments where polling was not held due to various reasons, including snatching of EVMs, during the first phase of voting on April 10.
Bihar: Voting began for the election to seven Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar under the second phase amidst tight security. Many of the seven constituencies of Patna Sahib, Patliputra, Nalanda, Jehanabad, Munger, Ara and Buxar are situated in the Maoist belt.
Over 54 per cent polling– almost 15 per cent more than the previous election– was registered in seven Lok Sabha seats in Bihar today in the second phase of polling in the state.
Uttar Pradesh: Polling for 11 Lok sabha seats of Uttar Pradesh to decide fate of 150 candidates in the second phase started this morning on a peaceful note amidst elaborate security arrangements.
Over 58.86 per cent polling was recorded till 5 pm in 11 seats in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, which will decide the fate of 150 candidates.
According to EC sources, Nagina witnessed 61.98 per cent polling while Moradabad and Rampur recorded 61.22 per cent and 69.32 per cent polling, respectively.
Sambhal recorded 56.8 per cent polling, Amroha 52.12 per cent, Badaun 54.6 per cent, Aonla 56.8 per cent, Bareilly 60 per cent, Pilibhit 57.2, Shahjahanpur 55.5 per cent and Kheri 61.64 per cent.
Rajasthan: First phase of polling in 20 Lok Sabha constituencies ended with an average of 58 per cent of 3.48 crore electors casting their votes in Rajasthan at the end of 1800 hrs, the Election Commission said.
It was mostly incident free poll barring a few incidents of party workers’ altercation and jostling in Bikaner, Ajmer and Jhunjhunu districts outside the booths over voters’ list or supermacy,” DGP-Law and Order Navdeep Singh said news agency here.
Over 80,000 security personnels were on duty to ensure free and fair, and incident free polls, DGP claimed.
Ganganagar (SC) seat registered highest voter turnout of over 68 per cent, Barmer 65, Ajmer 64, Jhalawar 61.5, Banswara 61.3, Jaipur 61.2, and Rajsamand recorded lowest turnout of 51.22 per cent at the closing of polling.
Chhattisgarh: Voter turnout in 3 seats of Chhattisgarh was 63.44 per. Voting began amid tight security in three Naxal-hit Lok Sabha constituencies of Chhattisgarh, where Chief Minister Raman Singh’s son Abhishek Singh, former Chief Minister Ajit Jogi and former minister Vikram Usendi are in the fray.
Polling commenced in three Lok Sabha seats – Kanker, Rajnandgaon and Mahasamund – at 7 AM, an election official here said.
There are 50 candidates in fray for the second phase election in these constituencies, including five women. Their fate will be decided by 45,56,051 voters, of which 22,78,646 are men and 22,77,405 women.
Jammu and Kashmir: Jammu and Kashmir recorded 69% polling for one seat.
With great enthusiasm among the voters, polling for Udhampur Parliamentary Constituency, which will decide the fate of Union Minister Gulam Nabi Azad, recorded a turnout of over 28 per cent till 11 AM.
The Udhampur-Doda parliamentary constituency, with headquarters at Kathua, comprises six districts — Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Udhampur, Reasi and Kathua and the LS constituency comprises 17 Assembly constituencies.
Over 61 per cent of polling was recorded in Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency, whereas the highest, 71 per cent voting, was registered in the Reasi district of the constituency.
As many as 61.15 per cent of the polling was recorded in the Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency till 3 PM, a senior official of Jammu and Kashmir Election department said here today.
Reasi has recorded the highest polling at 71 per cent, followed by Kathua with 63.71 per cent, Udhampur with 59.19 per cent, Kishtwar 58.66 per cent, Ramban with 58.14 and Doda with 56.24 per cent at 3 PM.
Bureau Report
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