Impressive turnout in 4th phase

Tiwa tribal women with their kids on their way to cast votes in Karbi Anglong district of Assam on Saturday. Voters turned out in large numbers to exercise their franchise in Assam during the fourth phase of polling in the Lok Saha election. Photo: Ritu Raj Konwar

The fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections today in seven constituencies spread across four states witnessed an impressive turnout with East Tripura registering a high of 81.8 per cent voting.

Two seats of Goa, three of Assam and one each of Tripura and Sikkim today went to polls where over half-a-crore voters sealed the fate of 74 candidates in voting machines.

The Election Commission here said the polls were by and large peaceful.

In Goa’s North and South seats, the voter turnout was 75 per cent. The state went for a single-phased election.

Assam’s three seats -- the Autonomous District, Karimganj and Silchar seats saw 75 per cent turnout. The turnout in whole of Assam was 69.6 per cent in the last Lok Sabha polls.

The state has a total of 14 Lok Sabha constituencies.

Tripura’s Tripura (East) seat which went for polls on Saturday saw a voter turnout of 81.8 per cent. Last time, however, the turnout was much higher at 83.11 per cent.

Sikkim went for simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections on Saturday. The lone seat witnessed turnout of 76 per cent. The percentage in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections was way above at 83.79 per cent.

“The voter turnout percentage will be higher as we are yet to get final figures. There were still long queues of voters at polling stations,” said Deputy EC Alok Shukla.

Prominent candidates from North Goa include Ravi Naik (Cong), BJP’s sitting MP Shripad Naik and AAP’s Dattaram Desai. From the South Goa seat, Congress’ Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, BJP’s Narendra Sawaikar and AAP’s Swati Kerkar are among the prominent contenders.

Tripura saw a multi-cornered contest. There are 12 candidates in the fray including CPI(M)’s Jitendra Chowdhury, who is the state industries minister, Congress’ Sachitra Debbarma, a prominent educationist, BJP’s Parkshit Debbarma, an ex-armyman, and Trinamool Congress leader Bhriguram Reang.

In the lone Lok Sabha seat of Sikkim, SKM’s Tek Nath Dhakal is expected to give sitting SDF MP Prem Das Rai a tough fight. BJP, Congress, Trinamool and Aam Aadmi Party had also put up candidates.

The contest in Assam’s Karimganj (SC) and Silchar was triangular between the Congress, BJP and AIUDF, while in the Autonomous District (ST) it was a fight direct between the Congress and the BJP.