Polling underway for sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections

Polling is underway for the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections. Voting, which began at 7 AM, will continue till 6 PM. Voting is taking place for 59 constituencies, spread over 7 states. Polling is being held for 14 seats in Uttar Pradesh, all 10 seats in Haryana, 8 seats each in West Bengal, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, all 7 seats in Delhi and 4 in Jharkhand.

According to the Election Commission, over 10 per cent voting was recorded till 9 this morning. In West Bengal, 16.68 per cent votes were polled, Jharkhand- 15.36, Madhya Pradesh over 12 per cent, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar more than nine per cent, Haryana over 8 per cent and Delhi nearly 8 per cent.
A total of 164 candidates including 16 women and 43 independents are in the fray in the national capital.
Prominent candidates in this phase include, Union ministers – Radha Mohan Singh, Harsh Vardhan, Maneka Gandhi, Narendra Singh Tomar, Krishan Pal Gurjar and Rao Inderjit Singh. Fate of cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir, Delhi BJP President Manoj Tiwari, Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, Congress leaders – Sheila Dikshit, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Digvijaya Singh and Bhupinder Singh Hooda, boxer Vijender Singh, and SP president Akhilesh Yadav will also be decided in this phase.
Elaborate arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful polling.