Lakshadweep polling booth records 92.83% voter turnout in first 6 hours

Polling began in Lakshadweep at 7:30 am and till 1:30, a voter turnout of 92.83 per cent was recorded in Bitra island. The lowest poll percentage was recorded in Minikoyi (23.82).

Kavarathi: A booth in Lakshadweep recorded a voter turnout of more than 90 per cent in the first six hours. Notably, the union territory has recorded an overall turnout of only 59.0 per cent till 5 pm.

Voting started at 7:30 am across 55 booths of the 10 islands of Lakshadweep today. Till 1:30, Bitra island recorded 92.83 per cent polling, Election Commission officials said.

A total of 57,784 people, including 29,278 men and 28,506 women, are eligible voters of this union territory. Around 300 polling officials and 500 security personnel have been engaged in the polling process.

Considering the geographical features of Lakshadweep, voting began at 7.30 am here while it other areas it was 7 am.

As per EC officials, till 1.30 pm, Bitra island recorded the highest voter turnout of 92.83 per cent wherein 239 of the 264 total voters had cast their votes here. Next comes, Kiltan Island with a polling percentage of 35.34. Kadamat, registered 32.38 per cent polling and Chatlat 32.33 per cent. Around 32.18 per cent polling was recorded in Kavaratti and 31.18 per cent in Agathi.

Those with less than 30 per cent polling rates are Antroth (29.47), Kalpeni (29.72), Minikoyi (23.82) and Amini Island (26.41). Polling in many of the islands started at a slow pace but picked up pace in the afternoon, officials said.

Four candidates are in the fray this time. The main contest is between sitting MP, Muhammad Faisal PP of NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar faction) and former Congress MP Hamdullah. Also, Muslim scholar and BJP-backed NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) candidate Yusuf TP is in the triangular contest. This apart, there is independent candidate Koya.