Over 33 pc polling recorded in 12 LS seats in Rajasthan till 1 pm

Jaipur: Over 33 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 1 pm on Friday in 12 parliamentary constituencies of Rajasthan where voting is underway in the first phase of the Lok Sabha election, officials said.

According to the Election Commission, polling began at 7 am amid tight security arrangements and about 33.73 per cent voting took place till 1 pm.

The highest voter turnout of 40.72 per cent was recorded in the Ganganagar Lok Sabha seat while Karauli-Dholpur saw the lowest turnout of 28.32 per cent, it said.

There are 25 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan. In the first phase, voting is being held in the Churu, Nagaur, Ganganagar, Jhunjhunu, Bikaner, Sikar, Jaipur Rural, Jaipur, Alwar, Bharatpur, Karauli-Dholpur and Dausa Lok Sabha seats, and 114 candidates are in the fray.

Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma and other leaders voted in this phase.

Mishra and his wife Satyawati Mishra cast their votes at a polling booth in C Scheme.

The chief minister exercised his franchise at a polling station of Patnik Jagatpura. Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari also cast her vote in this phase.

Union minister and BJP candidate from Bikaner Arjun Ram Meghwal voted at a polling booth in Bikaner, along with his family.

Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Gupta cast his vote at a polling booth in Gandhi Nagar in Jaipur and appealed to all voters to exercise their franchise.

Voters were seen posing for selfies after casting their votes at many places in Jaipur city.

The election department has taken some initiatives at the state level in collaboration with business organisations such as the 'Best Selfie Award' and discounts on various products and services to voters who show their inked fingers.

Rajasthan Director General of Police (DGP) Utkal Ranjan Sahoo said tight security arrangements have been made for free, fair and peaceful voting.

The Rajasthan Police, along with companies of the Central Armed Forces and Home Guard personnel have been deployed to maintain peace and law and order.

According to Chief Electoral Officer Gupta, a total of 2.54 crore people are eligible to vote in the first phase.