High voter turnout in last lap of Lok Sabha polls

NEW DELHI: As the nine-phased Lok Sabha polls ended, 41 constituencies figuring in the last lap in three states recorded high voter turnout as compared to last time.

West Bengal, where 17 seats went to polls today, recorded a turnout of 80 per cent, marginally lower than 82.07 per cent recorded in the last general election.

The EC made it clear that the figures provided were provisional as final reports were yet to be received at the headquarters.

The 18 seats in Uttar Pradesh which had polling today, recorded a turnout of 55.29 per cent, nearly 10 per cent higher than 46.55 per cent recorded in 2009 elections.

In Bihar's six seats, the percentage was recorded at 58. It was 44.3 in 2009.

In Varanasi, where BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is pitted against AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, the turnout was recorded at 55.34 per cent. It was higher than the 43.34 per cent recorded in 2009.

In Azamgarh, where SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav is pitted against sitting BJP MP Ramakant Yadav, the turnout was 57 per cent, higher than the 44.18 per cent recorded in 2009.