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ELECTIONS '96

55 per cent turnout recorded in last phase of polling

Polling in the 12th Lok Sabha election ended Saturday for all but six of the 543 seats. An estimated 55 per cent of 145 million voters cast their ballots in peaceful voting in 131 constituencies spread over 10 states and the Union territory of Daman and Diu.

With simultaneous assembly polls in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, the voting process also got over in the Vidhan Sabha elections in five states -- the other three were Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland.

An identical 55 per cent voting had been recorded in the earlier phases of polling on February 16, 22 and 23.

The counting of votes polled in the 533 Lok Sabha constituencies and in the assembly elections, except in Meghalaya where it has already been completed, will begin on March 2.

Deputy Election Commissioner S Pani told reporters in Delhi that the day's polling was peaceful, except for four incidents of bomb attacks in West Bengal, and ballot snatching elsewhere. There was no casualty in the bomb attacks, reported from the Barakpur, Howrah, Hooghly and Calcutta North East constituencies.

According to reports, West Bengal topped the voting percentage with nearly 65, followed by Kerala and Himachal Pradesh (58 to 60 per cent), Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh (50), Goa (45 to 50) and Orissa (45). Daman and Diu had 50 to 55 per cent voting.

The Srinagar constituency recorded the lowest voter turnout at 35 to 40 per cent, while Coimbatore, where polling had been deferred from February 22, reported about 55 per cent balloting, marginally better than the average for Tamil Nadu.

Unlike Saturday's polling, the earlier phases had been marred by violence which left at least 50 people dead.

Friday's blasts in Bombay had its impact on polling in the city, with virtually no one turning up in the initial hours at several places. Among the early voters were Chief Minister Manohar Joshi, Governor P C Alexander and his wife Achamma.

At least 24 villages of Thane district in Maharashtra boycotted the poll in protest against the denial of a separate gram panchayat.

Poor polling was reported from Srinagar throughout the day. Below 20 per cent voting was recorded till 1400 hours, with the turnout varying widely from less than one per cent in Habakadal, four per cent in Hazratbal, Zadibal and Khanyar areas, and as much as 40 per cent in Beerwah and Khansahib areas. Polling, however, was peaceful.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, accompanied by son Omer Farooq, who is contesting the Srinagar seat, voted at the Burn Hall school polling centre.

In Gujarat, BJP president L K Advani, accompanied by his wife, exercised his franchise in Bharatiya Vaas in Gandhinagar, where he is a candidate.

The contestants for the assembly election in the state include former chief ministers Keshubhai Patel, Chhabildas Mehta, Amarsinh Choudhary and Suresh Mehta, and Chief Minister Dilip Parikh. An electorate of 28.8 million was involved in the day's polling.

In Madhya Pradesh, over 45 per cent voting was reported for the Gwalior seat, contested by Congress leader Madhavrao Scindia. Rival groups clashed at Ratwai village and some other places in the constituency, but no casualties were reported.

A repoll was held in 16 booths in the Chhindwara, Hoshangabad, Bastar and Kanker constituencies.

Stray incidents of stone throwing, ballot snatching and an attempt at booth capturing were received from the Morena constituency.

Bahujan Samaj Party legislator Adal Singh Kansana was arrested on the charge of snatching ballots.

About 50 per cent of the 12.5 million voters exercised their franchise in Orissa. Polling was suspended in two booths in Bhandaripokhri in Bhadrak constituency after miscreants ransacked the polling centre and took away ballot papers.

Involved in the day's polling were the electoral fortunes of 937 candidates who contested 131 parliamentary seats.

UNI

Elections '98

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