While there were a few incidents of violence and poll disruptions in Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh, the turnouts here too far surpassed the 2009 figures. According to data put out by the EC at its post-poll briefing, the turnout in the three Naxal-hit seats of Chhattisgarh was 63.44% (up from 57.6% in 2009), 62% (up from 58%) in Jharkhand's six seats; 56% (39.3%) in Bihar's seven seats and 62.52% (55.09%) in UP's 10 seats.
While West Bengal led the way with 78.89% polling, expected to go up further to 82% or more, Odisha witnessed 70% polling in 11 Lok Sabha seats and 77 assembly seats that voted on Thursday. The corresponding figures in 2009 were 80.85% in West Bengal and 66.28% in Odisha.
Jammu & Kashmir, where the lone seat of Udhampur went to polls, registered the biggest jump in turnouts over the last parliamentary poll. The seat recorded 69.08% polling, up from 45.15% in 2009. What is more, the poll was absolutely peaceful, with no untoward incident.
Karnataka witnessed high polling at 68%, up from 58.88% in 2009. Polling in the three constituencies of Bangalore -- South, Central and North -- recorded voter turnout of 55%, 55% and 52%, respectively.
BJP-ruled Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan received mixed voter response, with EC figures putting the turnout here at 54.41% and 63.25% respectively. In 2009, the turnout in Madhya Pradesh was just 46.21% and 48.09% in Rajasthan.
In Manipur Inner constituency, the turnout was an impressive 74% and it was likely to go up further. In the 2009 Lok Sabha polls, the turnout was much higher at 77%.
The 19 constituencies of Maharashtra, which went to polls, witnessed a turnout of 54.67%. It was 54.14% in the last polls.
A landmine blast on a CRPF patrol and subsequent ambush by Maoists left four people, including three securitymen injured, in Bokaro. In Bihar, an FIR has been registered against RJD chief Lalu Prasad's daughter Misa Bharti for entering a polling compartment in Pataliputra constituency despite not being a voter there. Bharti is pitted there against Lalu's former close confidante Ram Kripal Yadav, who is the BJP candidate.
Later, some 50 persons entered the polling booth and damaged a voting machine in the ruckus. A separate FIR has been lodged against them.
Some polling staff was caught casting votes in connivance with a candidate in Patna district, the EC said. They have been suspended and a case registered against them.
Defective EVMs forced authorities to order suspend polling in nine places in Bihar, the EC said. An adjourned poll will be held in these places.
In Odisha's Cuttack, miscreants damaged an EVM, while in other case, a member of the flying squad was caught doing "wrong thing" inside a polling station. He was suspended and a case lodged, Deputy EC Alok Shukla told reporters here without elaborating.
In UP's Shahjahanpur and Pilibhit districts, people decided to boycott polling in a total of six polling stations over issues related to development, deputy EC Vinod Zutshi said.
In Rampur constituency of UP, some 60 people entered a booth and cast 40 votes. A repoll is likely in the polling booth.
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