29% voting in Delhi till 1 pm

Around 29 per cent of the 1.1 crore electorate turned up today at polling booths across the national capital till one pm to exercise their franchise in the Lok Sabha elections.  

Brisk polling was recorded in the morning soon after polling began at 7 am at all the seven constituencies but some decline in voters' enthusiasm was witnessed as the day progressed with the mercury touching 36 degree Celsius at noon.  

President Pratibha Patil, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, her son and Amethi MP Rahul and daughter Priyanka were among the early voters in the capital.  The first four hours recorded a turnout of 18 per cent but the figure climbed to only 28.96 per cent by one pm.        

The Chief Electoral Office east Delhi constituency, where sitting MP Sandeep Dikshit is contesting, had the largest turnout of 35.7 per cent so far followed by south Delhi at 32.44 per cent.        

New Delhi constituency also saw brisk polling, recording 30 per cent turnout. The voting percentage of other seats are: north-east -- 31.05, west -- 30, Chandni Chowk -- 26.52 and north-west -- 16.53.        

Polling was also held for by-elections to the Rohtas Nagar Assembly constituency which had been vacated due to the death of sitting MLA Rambabu Sharma. Polling percentage here was 36.33.