Agencies
New Delhi/ Patna/Lucknow/ Hyderabad, May 7: A massive turnout of the 184 million electorate was witnessed in the eighth phase polling, in 64 seats spread over 7 states , to elect the 16th Lok Sabha.
Waters were tested in Andhra Pradesh's 25 seats, Uttar Pradesh (15), Bihar (seven), West Bengal (six), Uttarakhand (five), Himachal (four) and Jammu & Kashmir (two).
Elections were also held simultaneously for 175 Assembly seats in Seemandhra.
The death of a youth was reported from Bihar's Sitamarhi when police aborted booth capturing by miscreants.
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, his cousin and BJP General Secretary Varun Gandhi, LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi were among the prominent aspirants in this roun.
May 16 is set for the verdict.
People in Andhra Pradesh voted in large numbers in the second and final phase of election and over 71 per cent polling was registered.
Guntur District recorded 74 pc turnout, Prakasam district (73.5), Anantapur (73), Chittoor (72.1), 72 per cent each in Srikakulam and East Godavari while Visakhapatnam 67 per cent.
Two EVMs and a police jeep parked near a booth were damaged in the Maoist attack.
There were a total of 333 Lok Sabha candidates and 2,241 Assembly candidates in 13 districts in Seemandhra.
Around 56 per cent of the 2.62 crore voters exercised their franchise for the 15 seats in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha election in Uttar Pradesh.
Polling percentage in two assembly by-elections for Rampur Khas and Vishwanathganj seats in Pratapgarh was also around 50 per cent.
In the fray were Union Steel Minister and Congress candidate Beni Prasad Verma(Gonda), UP Congress president Nirmal Khatri (Faizabad), and cricketer-turned politician and Congress candidate Mohammad Kaif (Phulpur). |
