Moderate to Heavy polling is reported in the sixth phase of polling to 117 Lok Sabha constituencies across 11 states and the Union Territory of Puducherry. Polling has been by and large peaceful barring a few stray incidents of violence with one policeman killed in Assam and 13 others injured in other states.
Assam recorded 61 percent of polling before 2 PM in 6 Lok Sabha seats despite a stray incident in Kokrajhar district. The incident occurred at Harabhanga area under Tulsibil police station followed rumours that all votes being cast to one particular political party. 6 persons were arrested for their alleged involvement in the killing of the police constable.
IGP L R Bishnoi said over thousand people gathered and pelted stones at polling parties when they were trying to control the situation. The situation is now under control but polling has been stopped at 7 polling booths in the area.
Officials said a Border Security Force platoon deployed in village Balapra and Harbhanga for poll security duties opened fire to save election officials and police personnel after a group of 40 people tried to capture a booth.
In Rajasthan, about 47 percent of voters cast their votes for the 5 Lok Sabha constituencies till 3 PM. despite a stray incident of violence in Dausa. A mob of 50 people tried to enter a polling booth in Satha there leading the ITBP to open 14 rounds of fire in the air. Five persons including four hotojournalists were injured in Dausa when irate villagers clashed with security forces.Maximum Voters turn out of 52 percent was in Alwar constituency.
Three persons were injured following a clash between RLD and BJP supporters in Daulatpur village in Mathura. Police said, both sides opened fire and indulged in brickbatting.In Jharkhand, four Congress workers were injured in a clash with supporters of the Marxist Coordination Committee during polling in Dhanbad Lok Sabha constituency. About 40 percent polling was recorded in 4 Lok Sabha seats there before 2 PM.
Polling was heavy in Tamilnadu, where voting is on for all the 39 constituencies. Our Chennai correspondent reports that over 60 percent of voters exercised their franchise there by 3 PM. Voting was also heavy in West bengal with 70 percent polling till 4 PM 6 Lok Sabha seats – Raiganj, Balurghat, Malda North and South, Murshidabad and Jangipu.
In Uttar Pradesh, above 46 percent voting is reported till 3 PM in 12 constituencies. An official spokesperson told our Allahabad correspondent that maximum of 53 percent polling has taken place in Firozabad constituency followed by 52 percent in Kannauj and 50 percent in Mathura seats. Minimum above 42 percent voting has taken place in Etawah constituency. Above 40 percent electorates have exercised their franchise in Farrukhabad, Fatehpur Sikri, Akbarpur, Hardoi and Mainpuri constituencies..
For 7 seats in Bihar, over 51 percent voter turnout was recorded till 4 p.m . In Jammu and Kashmir polling started picking up in most part of Annatnaag Parliamentary constituency after low turnout in the morning.
In Madhya Pradesh, 52 per cent turnout has been recorded in the ten parliamentary segments till 4 pm. Ratlam, Mandsour Khandwa, Vidisha, Dewas, Dhar and Khargoun segments have recorded more than 50 per cent turnout while Indore, Ujjain and Betul segments have registered more than 40 per cent polling.
In Maharashtra, 36 percent polling was reported for 19 Lok Sabha seats till 3PM. The highest percentage in Nandurbar constituency with 46 percent and the lowest of 25 percent in Bhiwandi constituency.
In Chhattisgarh, 40 percent voter turn out was recorded in 7 constituencies. In Puducherry, 68 percent voters exercised their francise by 4 pm. Our correspondent reports that despite hot weather, voters are enthusiastically turning up to cast their franchise.
The fate of 2076 candidates will be decided by 18 crore voters in the polls in which stakes are high for Congress, BJP and number of other parties like AIADMK, DMK, NCP and Shiv Sena. Prominent candidates in the fray include Mulayam Singh Yadav, Sushma Swaraj, Dayanidhi Maran, A Raja, Salman Khurshid and Shahnawaz Hussain.
In all elections to 349 of the 543 Lok Sabha constituencies will be completed in today's exercise in the nine-phased poll. Polling for the remaining 194 seats will be held in the next three phases – for 89 seat on April 30, for 64 on May 7 and 41 on May 12. Counting of votes will take place on May 16.
