Haryana records over 22 pct voter turnout till 11 AM

A voter turnout of 22.87 per cent was recorded till 11 AM in ten constituencies of Haryana Sunday in the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections. Union ministers Rao Inderjit Singh and Krishan Pal Gurjar are among 223 candidates in the fray.

Polling began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm in 10 parliamentary constituencies which are going to polls in the single phase, officials said. The poll percentage recorded at 11 am for ten seats was 22.87, Haryana's Joint Chief Electoral Officer, Inder Jeet said.   At Hisar (27.17 pc), Bhiwani Mahendergarh (25.24 pc), Sirsa (24.15 pc), Ambala (18.22 ), Kurukshetra (23.81 pc),  Sonipat (24.28  pc), Faridabad (22.66 pc) , while it was picking up pace at Rohtak (21.46 pc) and Karnal (20.91 pc).

Gurgaon recorded 23.35 polling percentage during the first four hours. Haryana's Chief Electoral Officer Rajiv Ranjan said polling was going on peacefully across the state.

Inder Jeet said there were glitches in EVMs at a few booths early in the morning, but these were replaced immediately. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar was among the early voters in Karnal while Union Minister Gurjar cast his vote in Faridabad. State Congress chief exercised his franchise in Sirsa.

JJP leader Digvijay Chautala, who is contesting from Sonipat, alleged that at booths number 88, 89 and 90 in Jind district, his party symbol (a pair of slippers) were "not clearly visible on EVM machines and some voters have complained to me in this regard". "This is a serious matter and the Election Commission must look into this," Digvijay said.

Enthusiastic voters were seen in several places. A bridegroom went to cast his vote in Mullana in Ambala parliamentary constituency before solemnising his marriage. At Sirsa and Hisar, the voters queued up since early morning to cast their vote. There were reports of a few centenarians also exercising their franchise in Rohtak district.

Haryana's Joint Chief Electoral Officer Inder Jeet said over 1.80 crore people are eligible to vote in the state. Of them, 97,16,516 are male, 83,40,173 female and 207 transgenders. Over one lakh of total voters are physically challenged and special facilities have been provided for them, he said.

(With inputs from agencies.)