Over 14% voting in Rajasthan LS polls (2nd Lead) (10 a.m.)

Rajasthan recorded 14.05 per cent voter turnout on Monday in the first three hours of polling to the state's 12 constituencies in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections, according to officials.

Voting began at 7 a.m. for the Shri Ganganagar, Bikaner, Churu, Jhunjhunu, Sikar, Jaipur Rural, Jaipur, Alwar, Bharatpur, Karauli Dholpur, Dausa and Nagaur seats.

As of 10 a.m., the highest voter turnout was recorded Shri Ganganagar with 15.40 per cent followed by Dausa 14.79 per cent and Jaipur Rural 14.53 per cent.

Jhunjhunu witnessed the lowest turnout with 12.79 per cent.

Technical glitches in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) delayed voting at several centres.

In Jaipur, voting started half an hour late due to a technical fault in the EVMs at the Bajoriya and the Saraswati Schools.

EVM malfunctioning was also reported at a booth in Jaipur's Mansarovar area, said Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state control room in-charge, Nirmal Nahta.

BJP state president Madanlal Saini cast his vote in Sikar with his wife, while Union Minister Rajyawardhan Singh Rathore, who is the sitting BJP MP from Jaipur Rural, voted in Vaishali Nagar.

Rathore, an Olympian silver medallist and a two-time Commonwealth gold medallist in shooting, is pittied against Congress' Krishna Poonia, who is herself a 2010 Commonwealth gold medallist discus thrower.

Shortly after voting began, Anand Kumar, the state's Chief Electoral Officer, cast his ballot with his son and wife. Director General of Police Kapil Garg voted in Jaipur.

While awaiting his turn at a queue outside a polling booth here, Congress state President Sachin Pilot told the media: "Congress is all set to touch 'Mission 25' in the state. Voters have seen the BJP and Congress working and they shall definitely vote for Congress to ensure party is voted to power."

A total of 134 candidates are in fray on these seats which include 12 women while around 2.30 crore voters are using their right to vote.

Jaipur has the highest number of candidates, while the lowest was reported in the Dausa parliamentary seat.

Polling will end at 6 p.m.

--IANS

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