Maha: 46.13 pc polling till 3 pm

Maharashtra registered 46.13 per cent voting till 3 pm in seven constituencies where polling was underway in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections.

According to the state's chief electoral officer, the Naxal-hit Gadchiroli-Chimur Lok Sabha seat witnessed 57 per cent voting in eight hours since the commencement of polling at 7 am, while 49.05 per cent electorate cast their votes in Bhandara-Gondiya.

Besides, Chandrapur recorded 46.3 per cent polling till 3 pm, followed by Ramtek (SC)- 44.5 per cent, Wardha - 43.9 per cent, Yavatmal-Washim - 43.35 per cent and Nagpur - 41.25 per cent.

All these constituencies are located in the state's Vidarbha region.

The prominent candidates in these constituencies include Union ministers and senior BJP leaders Nitin Gadkari, who is contesting from Nagpur, and Hansraj Ahir, who is the nominee from Chandrapur seat.