Fifth phase witnesses approximately 62 percent polling for Lok Sabha

New Delhi, May 13 (ANI): The fifth and final phase of general elections 2009 witnessed an overall 62 percent polling for 86 Lok Sabha constituencies across nine states and two union territories.

The polling for general elections to Lok Sabha came to an end on Wednesday. The polling was by and large peaceful except for stray incidents of violence in West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.

The last phase saw violence with one death being reported from West Bengal and one from Tamil Nadu.

The counting for all the Lok Sabha seats will be held on May 16.

In Jammu and Kashmir moderate to heavy polling has been reported in the fifth and final phase of elections in the Baramulla and Ladkah Parliamentary constituencies. Latest reports say about forty percent voters had caste their votes in the Baramulla constituency while as the percentage in the Ladakh seat touched around 60 percent.

In Tamil Nadu, 55 per cent voting was recorded. In Puducherry, an estimated 66 per cent voters exercised their franchise to elect the Union Territory's lone representative in the Lok Sabha.

In Uttar Pradesh, over 50 per cent voters exercised their franchise in the polling for 14 seats of the Western and Rohilakhand region.

In Uttarakhand, more than 35 per cent voting has been recorded in five constituencies. n Punjab, an estimated 62 per cent polling was reported in the nine Lok Sabha seats.

In Himachal Pradesh, 50 to 55 per cent polling was reported in all the four constituencies.

Prominent candidates in the fray include Home Minister P Chidambaram, DMK's T R Baalu, Dayanidhi Maran and M K Azhagiri, Congress' Md Azharuddin, BJP's Maneka and Varun Gandhi and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, MDMK's Vaiko and SP's Jayaprada.

Polling has been completed to 457 Lok Sabha seats since the exercise began on April 16.

The Lok Sabha has 545 members, but elections are held to 543 seats as two members are nominated from the Anglo-Indian community. (ANI)