Pune records 53% voting whilst 61% in Baramati

The Baramati Lok Sabha constituency witnessed an impressive voter turnout on Tuesday but the voting was sluggish in Pune. Around 53 per cent polling was recorded in Pune and 61 per cent in neighbouring Baramati seat though the final figures may increase, said District Election Officer and Collector Naval Kishore Ram.

There were few incidents of glitches in EVMs and complaints of names missing from voter lists, he said. The district administration took cognisance of a media report that a booth-level officer in Kasha area was allegedly trying to persuade voters to cast vote for a particular party, he said.

"We initiated inquiry and discharged him of his responsibilities," said Ram. Congress candidate Mohan Joshi alleged that the official was influencing voters to cast votes for the BJP.

"When our workers found him influencing voters, I reached there and raised alarm, and he was immediately taken off the duty," he said. In Pune, BJP's Girish Bapat is pitted against Joshi, while in Baramati, sitting MP Supriya Sule of the NCP is contesting against BJP's Kanchan Kul.