73 per cent polling in Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Around 73 per cent of over three lakh voters in the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands exercised their franchise in the Lok Sabha election on Thursday, officials said.

Fifteen candidates including Kuldeep Rai Sharma of the Indian National Congress and BJP's Vishal Jolly are in the fray for the lone Lok Sabha seat in the union territory.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands has 3,17,878 voters who were eligible to exercise their franchise in 407 polling stations in three districts, the official said.

Around 48,518 voters new voters have been added to the electoral rolls for the general elections this year. There was also an increase of 21 polling stations in this election, taking the total number polling stations to 407 covering the length and breadth of these Islands.

The southernmost polling station in the country is at Shastri Nagar, in the Great Nicobar Island.

At Campbell Bay around 3500 voters cast their votes in different polling stations in the Great Nicobar region including the Shompen tribes.

Polling Stations were set up for tribal as well as other electors at Strait Island for Great Andamanese and Dugong Creek for Onges.

The polling station at Pilopatia at Little Nicobar had only nine voters while Government Middle School, Brichgunj with 3492 voters has the highest number of electors.

For the first time 11 all women polling stations were created in all the three districts, the official added.