India Votes

An estimated 50 to 55 per cent of the 17.5 croreelectorate cast their vote in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections in 140constituencies in 13 states and three Union Territories as violence by militantsand naxalites left 20 people, including a duty magistrate, a freelancejournalist and seven naxalites, dead and several injured.

Voting was also held in 344 Assembly constituencies in Andhra Pradesh,Karnataka and Orissa.

1,100 candidates are in the fray for the first of the five phased electionsstaggered over three weeks upto May 10.

An overview of the States:

Andhra Pradesh: 60 to 65 per cent of the 2.73crore voters exercised their franchise in the first phase of simultaneouselections to 21 Lok Sabha and 147 Assembly constituencies, which used ElectronicVoting Machines for the first time.

An impressive 65 to 70 per cent voter turn-out in extremist-affectedTelangana region, while polling was sluggish in the state capital which recorded50 per cent turn-out.

Assam: 62.98 per cent of the electorate votedfor the six constituencies in the first phase polls which was by and largepeaceful barring minor incidents of disturbances.

No voter turned up at the ten polling stations ofSapotgram town in Dhubri constituency following a poll boycott call given by alocal organisation to protest the poor condition of roads and civic amenities.

Bihar: Four persons, including two RJDsupporters and a constable, were killed and several others, including JD-Ucandidate Sushil Kumar Singh, injured as violence marred polling in 11 of the 40Lok Sabha seats where the turnout was 55 to 60 per cent.

The vote of Union Minister and BJP candidate for theprestigious Patna Lok Sabha seat C.P. Thakur was cancelled on the ground ofbreach of secrecy.

Chhattisgarh: About55 per cent voters out of the 1.37 crore electorate turned out for the 11 LokSabha and two Assembly by-polls.

Naxal infested Dantewada district registered the lowest27 per cent voting. In Dongargaon Assembly segment, the voting was about 70 percent.

EVMs of 22 booths were looted by Naxalites in Bastarregion while six ultras were killed in as many as 20 encounters which leftinjured four members of paramilitary forces.

Daman & Diu and Dadra & Nagar Haveli: Close to 69 per cent of nearly two lakh voters exercised their franchise wherepolling passed off peacefully. There were nearly 79,500 voters in Daman &Diu constituency and nearly 1.25 lakh in Dadra & Nagar Haveli.

Karnataka: Amidst stray violent incidents, about55 per cent of 2.26 crore voters participated in the first phase of simultaneouspolls covering 15 Lok Sabha and 120 Assembly segments.

Repolling has been ordered in four polling stations andwas likely in 11 others where electoral irregularities were reported.

Gujarat: An estimated 42 per cent of the 3.34crore voters took part in the Lok Sabha polls for 26 constituencies. The highestpolling of 56 per cent was recorded in Junagadh while the lowest of 33 per centwas in Dahod seat.

The voter turnout, which was marred by scorching heat, was nearly five percent less compared to the 1999 general elections when 47.03 per cent voters hadcast their votes.

Re-polling has been ordered in two polling stations ofJunagadh and Kheda on April 22, after complaints of bogus voting and presidingofficer being allegedly beaten up.

Jharkhand: 45-50 per cent polling was recorded in six of the 14 LokSabha constituencies in the the first phase of polling.

External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha escaped unhurtwhen his car was attacked allegedly CPI activists at a polling booth in hisHazaribag Lok Sabha constituency.

Repolling was ordered in six booths in Hazaribagh,Koderma and Palamu following Naxal disturbance.

Maharashtra: An estimated 53 per centvoters, out of an electorate of 2.41 crore, exercised their franchise in 24 Parliamentaryconstituencies in the first phase of elections.

Chimur in Vidarbha region registered the highestpolling turnout of 62 per cent while Dhule recorded the lowest polling percentof 36.

Manipur: Large-scale violence marred the firstphase elections in the state, which recorded 50 to 55 per cent turnout of the7.95 lakh voters in the Outer Manipur constituency.

Four para-military personnel on poll duty were killed and three othersinjured in poll-related violence.

Churachandpur district recorded 65 per cent polls followed by Senapati 50,Ukhrul 50, Chandel 50, Thoubal 40 and Tamenglong 45.

Meghalaya: Voting in two Parliamentaryconstituencies ended on a peaceful note with approximately 51 per cent votersregistering their votes.

Shillong Lok Sabha seat recorded about 43 per centpolling while Tura accounted for 60 per cent.

Jammu & Kashmir: Despite stepped upmilitant attacks, voter turnout went up by over six per centto 34.50 per cent in insurgency-hit Baramulla while 45 per cent polling wasrecorded in Jammu in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls.

About 39.50 per cent of the voters cast their ballot inthe two constituencies.

National Conference president Omar Abdullah escapedunhurt when militants triggered a powerful landmine blast minutes after hiscavalcade passed by in Badgam district. Two people were injured.

Orissa: Nearly 60 per cent of the electoratecast their ballots in the first phase of simultaneous 11 Parliamentary and 77Assembly segments which was marked by boycott and violence by Naxalites.

The remaining 10 Lok Sabha and 70 Assembly constituencies will go to polls inthe second phase on April 26.