Ranjit Mahanti
THE Election Commission (EC) officials confirmed on Thursday that the voting in 11 states crossed 50 percent. While West Bengal registered highest polling at 82 percent. polling, Mumbai witnessed an impressive 11% increase in voter turnout over 2009 elections and Maharashtra witnessed 8% increase in turnout. However there were numerous instances of voters complaining that their names have been deleted from voter lists.
According to EC officials, Maharashtra recorded 59.11 percent (8% increase) voter turnout for 19 seats that went to polls while voting in Mumbai was 52.26percent (11% increase since last polls) for its six seats. Chhattisgarh, recorded 62.5 percent turnout, Bihar 60 percent for 7 seats each, Jharkhand 63.4 percent for 4 seats and Assam registered 77.05 percent for 6 seats.
Uttar Pradesh recorded 58.58 votes for 12 Lok Sabha seats. Madhya Pradesh recorded 64.4 percent turnout for 10 seats, Tamil Nadu saw 73 percent polling for 39 seats and Rajasthan 59.2 percent for 5 seats, the EC officials informed.
In Maharashtra, the highest turnout was in Dindori (ST) at 64 per cent, while the lowest was in Kalyan at 42 per cent, election office sources said.
The constituency-wise voting percentage: Nandurbar-ST (62 pc), Dhule (59 pc), Jalgaon (56 pc), Raver (58 pc), Jalna (63 pc), Aurangabad (59 pc), Dindori-ST (64 pc), Nashik (58 pc), Palghar (60 pc), Bhiwandi (43 pc), Kalyan (42 pc), Thane (52 pc), Mumbai North (52 pc), Mumbai North West (60 pc), Mumbai North East (53 pc), Mumbai North Central (55 pc), Mumbai South Central (55 pc), Mumbai South (54 pc) and Raigad (64 pc).
Rs 81.55 crore black money seized
The Election Commission, New Delhi on Thursday seized cash over Rs 81.55 crore from the 12 states which went to poll in the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections, as part of its efforts to check the use of black money and other ways to influence voters. The Commission, has so far seized Rs 269 crore.