Lok Sabha elections: 49.2 pct voters exercise franchise till 3 pm in the ongoing sixth phase of polling

Amid reports of stray violence in West Bengal, a state witnessing a high-octane battle between the ruling TMC and the BJP, an estimated 70.19 per cent of over 1.45 crore electorate exercised their franchise till 3 PM in the penultimate sixth phase election to eight Lok Sabha seats of Tamluk, Kanthi, Ghatal, Jhargram, Medinipur, Purulia, Bankura and Bishnupur.

While Tamluk accounted for 71.63 per cent, Kanthi for 71.36 per cent, Ghatal for 71.34 per cent, Jhargram (SC) for 72.26 per cent, Medinipur for 67.91 per cent, Purulia for 66.06 per cent, Bankura for 67.41 per cent and Bishnupur for 73.55 per cent, according to the ECI data as quoted by media reports.

Voting is taking place across 58 seats stretched across six states and two Union Territories including the national capital Delhi.

11.13 crore people are expected to exercise their franchise in this phase and decide the fates of  889 candidates across 1.14 lakh polling stations.

Among those in the fray for the BJP are Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Maneka Gandhi, former Hayana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, party spokesman Sambit Patra, late External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj's daughter Bansuri Swaraj and actor-turned-politician Manoj Tiwari.

The star Congress candidates include Deepender Singh Hooda, Kumari Selja, Raj Babbar and Kanhaiya Kumar. The heavyweight list also includes Samajwadi Party leader Dharmendra Yadav and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti.

The states voting in this phase are Bihar (8 seats), Haryana (all 10 seats), Jharkhand (4 seats),, Odisha (6 seats), Uttar Pradesh (14 seats) and West Bengal (8 seats).

Completing the list are the two Union Territories -- Delhi (all 7 seats) and Jammu and Kashmir (one seat) will also vote.