Over 83 per cent of about eight lakh voters of Pondicherry and Karaikal areas on Tuesday exercised their franchise in the second phase of polls to 27 of the 30 assembly constituencies in the union territory.
The polling, which began on a brisk note at 7 am, picked up and by 11 am. About 30 per cent of the voters had exercised their franchise. By 4 pm. About 70 per cent of the electorate had cast their votes, according to official estimates.
Pondicherry with 21 assembly constituencies and Karaikal with six recorded 84.08 per cent and 81.6 per cent voting respectively.
Those whose electoral fortunes were at stake include Chief Minister N Rangaswamy, seeking election for a third consecutive term from Thattanchavady and is locked in a six cornered contest, former Chief Ministers V Vaithilingam (Congress) and RV Janakiraman (DMK) and former Congressman and Puducherry Munnetra Congress founder P Kannan.
While Ousuddu recorded the highest percentage of voting at 92, at Modeliarpet, where Kannan is contesting, it was 87.19 per cent.
In Nettapakkam, where Vaithilingam is locked in a quadrangular contest and whose brother V Muthunarayanan of the PMC is his main rival, it was about 85 per cent, while it was 83.97 per cent in Nellithope, where Janakiraman is contesting. Thattanchavady recorded 76.33 per cent.
{{/usCountry}}In Nettapakkam, where Vaithilingam is locked in a quadrangular contest and whose brother V Muthunarayanan of the PMC is his main rival, it was about 85 per cent, while it was 83.97 per cent in Nellithope, where Janakiraman is contesting. Thattanchavady recorded 76.33 per cent.
{{/usCountry}}Pondicherry Lt Governor MM Lakhera and Rangasamy were among the early voters to exercise their franchise.
Polling was held on May 3 in two segments in Mahe and one in Yanam, enclaves of Pondicherry in Kerala and Andhra Pradesh respectively.