Varanasi: Modi-Kejriwal-Rai fight end today, 55.29% polling recorded

, May 12: The Holy City went to the parliamentary poll in the final phase of this year's general

. The contest in this constituency in Uttar Pradesh featured BJP's prime ministerial candidate

and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader

besides Congress's Ajay Rai, Trinamool Congress's (TMC) Indira Tiwari and others. Qaumi Ekta Dal's Muktar Ansari did not contest in this year's election.

Temperature in Varanasi is 40 degree Celsius currently.

[Read: Live updates of Phase 9 of Lok Sabha election 2014]

[Read: Live updates of West Bengal polling]

6:55 pm: 55.29 per cent polling has been recorded till 6 pm in Varanasi from where Narendra Modi is contesting against Arvind Kejriwal and Ajay Rai.

5.46 pm: Varanasi records 53.10 per cent turnout till 5 pm.

4.34 pm: Varanasi breaks 2009 election turnout record of 42.61 per cent with still more time left for polls to end.

4.05 pm: Despite high temperature, voters turned out in large numbers to caste vote in Varanasi.

3.38 pm: Varanasi records 44.75 per cent voter turnout till 3 pm.

3.11 pm: AAP protests against Narendra Modi's final television appeal as elections come to an end.

3.05 pm: If I get a notice from EC will reply to it: Ajay Rai on flashing party symbol at polling booth in Varanasi.

3.00 pm: Wore same clothes which I had worn day before yesterday on which the symbol was attached,did not flash party symbol intentionally : Ajay Rai

2.40 pm: Voters in Varanasi constituency staged protests on Monday over the alleged deletion of names in the voters list.

2.05 pm: 35.38 per cent voter turnout recorded in Varanasi till 1 pm.

1.55 pm: AAP leader Rajesh Rishi arrested for trying to buy votes in Varanasi.

1.48 pm: Congress lodges complaint with the EC against Narendra Modi over his video message to voters.

1.40 pm: FIR registered against Ajay Rai under Representation of People Act's Articles 126 & 130.

1.07 pm: Narendra Modi is misusing social media & campaigning after campaign has stopped: Congress.

12.35 pm: The Election Commission asks returning officer to file FIR against Congress candidate Ajay Rai under sec 130 of RP Act.

12.28 pm: Polling has been extremely slow in Queen's college in Varanasi. Approximately 15 minutes are being taken to cast each vote due to slow EVMs.

The issue has been raised in front of the EC and talks are being held about either changing or increasing the number of EVMs as queue has been increasing.

12.21 pm: Varanasi voter faints waiting in the heat to vote, complains.

12.12 pm: EC directs Varanasi Returning Officer to file FIR/complaint against Congress candidate Ajay Rai for displaying party symbol at polling booth.

12.05 pm: Narendra Modi makes a final pitch as elections come to an end.

Even after scorching heat people have come out & voted to give strength to new Government: Modi.

11.55 am: EC orders inquiry against Cong candidate Ajay Rai for wearing party symbol.

11.52 am: 28 per cent turnout in Varanasi till 11 am.

11.40 am: Umesh Sinha, Chief Electoral Officer: DM directed to carry out investigation, action to be taken against Ajay Rai.

11.36 am: Narendra Modi requests India to vote.

11.30 am: Varanasi voters upset with four unscheduled power cuts in four hours.

11.21 am: Party which is winning with huge majority should not bother about such small things, says Murli Manohar Joshi, BJP, on Ajay Rai wearing party symbol to booth.

Everyone takes their hand into poll booth, should we cut it off?, asks MM Joshi on Ajay Rai wearing party symbol into poll booth

11.18 am: MM Joshi says Modi factor has been working without doubt.

11.07 am: I would be happy if Modi retains Varanasi. This election is about BJP, Narendra Modi is because of the BJP, says Murli Manohar Joshi.

10.51 am: Varanasi DM says he'll act against Cong candidate Ajay Rai if he's found guilty of wearing party badge while voting.

10.45 am: EC seeks CCTV footage on complaints alleging that Congress candidate Ajay Rai was wearing party symbol while casting vote.

10.42 am: Flashing of party symbol a violation of election rules: EC observer Praveen Kumar on Ajay Rai sporting Congress symbol while voting.

10.28 am: BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi casts his vote from Varanasi.

10.19 am: BJP leader MM Joshi arrives at polling booth in Varanasi to cast his vote.

10.12 am: Arvind Kejriwal says his fight is with Narendra Modi only; Ajai Rai dismisses claims.

9.52 am: BJP earlier said if Modi was wearing lotus symbol then its nothing wrong,now saying take action against Ajay Rai, says Meem Afzal, Congress.

9.45 am: Varanasi records 20 per cent voter turnout till 9 am.

9.39 am: We have to see what step EC takes on this issue-Prakash Javadekar,BJP on Ajay Rai wearing Congress symbol.

9.34 am: Prakash Javedkar says that AAP is only confusion.

9.27 am: BJP complains to EC against Cong Varanasi candidate Ajay Rai for sporting party symbol on his kurta.

9.22 am: Ajai Rai defends wearing Congress symbol to booth. Says "I am what I am and this is what I believe in so I wore it to booth."

9.14 am: Congress candidate Ajai Rai courts controversy after flaunting party symbol at polling booth.

9.10 am: In Varanasi it's fight against money power,muscle power,media power & ills of elections for which AAP is committed to fight & root out, says Ashutosh.

9.04 am: AAP leader Manish Sisodia's presence in Varanasi questioned.

9.01 am: People of Kashi will vote for truth and honesty, says AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal.

8.59 am: Yes we will win, Modi ji is losing. Ajay Rai ji is not even in the contest, says AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal.

8.50 am: EVM machine stops working at booth number 40 in Varanasi.

8.45 am: There is no contest, Netaji (Mulayam) is winning from here: Durga Prasad Yadav, SP in Azamgarh.

8.31 am: Varanasi will reject Modi, Kejriwal, I'm the son of the soil, says Ajay Rai.

8.24 am: Polling begins on a peaceful note for 18 seats in crucial last phase of LS polls in eastern UP,to decide fate of 328 candidates.

8.19 am: Congress candidate Ajay Rai dismisses other candidates as 'outsiders' in Varanasi.

8.14 am: Congress candidate Ajai Rai casts his vote from Varanasi.

8.10 am: People of Varanasi will not choose a candidate who can't even vote in Varanasi,who are like tenants: Ajay Rai, Congress candidate from Varanasi.

8.04 am: Locals turn out in huge numbers even as voting just begins in Varanasi.

[Read: Top contests: Modi vs Kejriwal vs Rai]

7.50 am: Hindutva and development are our issues, I will win again(Gorakhpur). BJP will sweep poorvanchal: Yogi Adityanath, BJP.

7.43 am: BJP MP Yogi Adityanath casts his vote in Gorakhpur.

7.38 am: Over 45,000 Security Personnel deployed in Varanasi as polling picks up.

7.31 am: Congress candidate from Varanasi Ajay Rai dismisses Modi wave-

7.00 am: Polling begins.

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