New Delhi, May 13 (Bureau) The fate of over 1700 candidates sealed as voting process completed place on 96 seats spread over nine states and a Union Territory in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections on yesterday. As per the Election Commission an estimated 56.85 percent of the total 95.83 lakh electorate have exercised their franchise, amid tight security arrangements, till the end of the polling at 6 pm in five Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar on Monday. The fate of 55 candidates including Union Ministers Giriraj Singh and Nityanand Rai have been sealed in the EVMs. The polling passed off peacefully in all five Parliamentary constituencies during the fourth of seven phased Lok Sabha election and no untoward incidents was reported from any place in the state. The Lok Sabha Seats where polling was held are– Darbhanga, Ujiarpur, Samastipur, Begusarai and Munger. Chief Electoral Officer H R Srinivas said that 56.85 percent polling was recorded till 6 pm. In Srinagar a voter turnout of 35.75 percent was recorded in Lok Sabha election till 5 pm on Monday An official spokesman said that 35.75 percent of the total 17.4 lakh voters have exercised their franchise till 5 pm. In Odisha an estimated 62.97 percent of the total 62,87,222 voters exercised their franchise in 7303 polling stations spread over eight districts for four Lok Sabha and 28 Assembly seats till 1700 hours, state Chief Electoral Officer Nikunja Bihar Dhal said. Polling is being held in four Parliamentary Constituencies -Berhampur, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, and Koraput and 28 Assembly Constituencies under these four Parliamentary Constituencies in the first phase of general elections in Odisha.
Amid stray violence, an estimated 75.66 per cent of over 1.5 crore electorate exercised their franchise till 5 PM on Monday in the fourth phase election to eight Lok Sabha seats in Bengal. Similarly Andhra Pradesh recorded 67.99 per cent polling till 5 PM on Monday even as violent incidents were reported from various parts of the state. Violent incidents took place at Guntur, Palnadu, Kadapa and Chittoor districts during the polling and police fired into the air rubber bullets to disperse classing YSRCP and TDP activists in Macherla. Clashes and stone pelting incidents were also reported from many areas in the state. In Telengana an approximate voter turnout of 61.16 percent was recorded till 5 pm on Monday in the fourth phase election for 17 Lok Sabha seats. Polling which began at 7 am, will end by 6 pm, barring at a few places where it will conclude two hours earlier. Polling across the 17 Parliamentary Constituencies and the byelection to the Cantonment (Secunderabad) Assembly seat is reported to be peaceful, with the police making elaborate security arrangements. In Uttar Pradesh an estimated 56.35 percent of 2.47 crore voters cast their votes till 5 pm in 13 seats in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha election on Monday.