71.08% polling recorded till 4 pm in Puducherry

PUDUCHERRY: Picking up pace rapidly, the Union Territory of Puducherry recorded 71.08 per cent voting till about 4 PM.

At 11.30 AM, it had been just 30 per cent, Election Commission officials said.

The UT comprises Puducherry and its enclaves Yanam in Andhra Pradesh and Mahe and Karaikal. There are 9.41 lakh voters of whom 4.94 lakh are women.

The EC officials said Puducherry registered 72.21 per cent polling, Karaikal 65.49 per cent, Mahe 64.83 per cent and Yanam 77.63 per cent.

Rains in Puducherry did not affect polling.

344 contestants, including 96 Independents, are in the fray for election on the 30 Assembly seats in the UT.