Nearly 20 per cent polling in first four hours

Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 22 : About 20 per cent of the electorate exercised their franchise in the first four hours in the first phase of Assembly elections in Kerala today, covering 59 constituencies spread over six southern districts.

Long queues were seen in some polling stations in rural areas from the morning, while polling was at a slow pace in cities.

Thiruvananthapuram district recorded 12 per cent polling, Kollam 15 per cent, Idukki nine per cent, Pathanamthitta 15 per cent, Alapuzha 15 per cent and Kottayam 12 per cent, Election Commission sources said.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy accompanied by his wife and two children cast his vote at the MP Lower Primary School at Puthupally in Kottayam district. Labour Minister Babu Divakaran, who is contesting from Kollam and Revenue Minister K M Mani, contesting from Pala, cast their votes at the Kollam S N College and St Thomas High School at Pala respectively.

Congress Working Committee member and former Chief Minister A K Antony exercised his franchise at the Jagathy school here.

Former Minister and Kerala Congress (B) leader R Balakrishana Pillai cast his ballot at the DIET High School in Kottarakara.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) Central Committee member M A Baby, who is contesting from Kundara in Kollam district, voted at the St Joseph's Higher Secondary School in Thiruvananthapuram.

Revolutionary Socialist Party state secretary T J Chandrachoodan, who is contesting from Aryanad in Thiruvananthapuram district, cast his vote at the Pettah Boys high school in the district.

No untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the districts.

A total of 409 candidates are in the fray in Thiruvananthapuram, Pathanamthitta, Kollam, Alappuzha, Idukki and Kottayam.

UNI

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