25% polling in Haryana during first 5 hrs

Over 25 per cent polling was reported during the first five hours for the 90-member Haryana Assembly today.

Out of more than 1.31 crore eligible voters, including 59 lakh women, over 25 per cent had exercised their franchise, an election department official said here.

The fate of 1,222 candidates, including 67 women, who are in fray for 90 Assembly seats in the state will be sealed today.

As many as 13,524 polling stations have been set up across the state. Among them 3,214 have been identified as vulnerable, the officials said.

Amid tight security arrangements, the polling began at 7AM. Among those who had cast their votes so far included Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who exercised his franchise in his native Sanghi village in Rohtak district.

Former Chief Minister and INLD chief Om Prakash Chautala, Haryana Janhit Congress supremo Kuldeep Bishnoi and State BJP chief Krishan Pal Gujjar are among the key contestants in the fray.