Lok Sabha polls: Between 28 to 13.9 per cent polling in four states in eastern India

KOLKATA/GUWAHATI/PATNA/RANCHI: A voter turnout of between a high 28 per cent in West Bengal to a low 13.9 per cent in Jharkhand was recorded in the first three hours of polling in the sixth phase of elections in 23 Lok Sabha seats in four states of eastern India.


Polling was 17 per cent in Assam and 15 per cent in Bihar.

Altogether 332 candidates were contesting the 23 seats in the four states.

Election office sources in the four states said that polling was peaceful with a number of EVMs being replaced because of malfunction.

Prominent candidates in Bihar were BJP's Shahnawaz Hussain, the party's lone Muslim face in the outgoing Lok Sabha (Bhagalpur), NCP General Secretary Tariq Anwar (Katihar) and former union minister and RJD leader Mohd Taslimuddin.

A total 108 candidates were in the fray in Supual, Araria, Kisanganj, Katihar, Purnia, Banka and Bhagalpur in the state.

Stakes were high for BJP as five of the seven seats were won by the party last time in 2009. One each was held by rivals Congress and JD(U).

The five held by BJP were Araria, Katihar, Purnia, Bhagalpur and Banka. Kisangnaj was won by Congress and Supaul had gone to JD(U).