Polling on in Kerala

An estimated 21.8 per cent polling was recorded in the last phase of elections for 20 Lok Sabha seats and one assembly bypoll till 11 am in Kerala on Monday, official sources said.

"The polling is progressing in a peaceful manner with no major violence reported from anywhere so far," sources said.

An average nine per cent polling was recorded in the first two hours for 20 Lok Sabha seats in Kerala where voting is in progress in a peaceful atmosphere.

A total of 140 cases of minor errors to EVMs were reproted from different parts. The voting, however, resumed soon after rectifying the machines, sources in the office of the Chief Electoral Officer said.

Among the early voters in Thiruvananthapuram was Chief Minister AK Antony, who came to cast his vote along with his wife Elizabeth in the
Jagathy UP School in the city.

Though the weather is largely pleasant in most part of the state, an abrupt rain around 9 am affected the flow of voters here.

An average 10.5 per cent polling was recorded in the first two hours in the state capital while 7.5 per cent recorded in the nearby Chirayinkizhu, 8 per cent in Kollam and 7.5 per cent in Adoor, official sources said.

Meanwhile, a special police officer recruited for poll duty identified as Gopalan, collapsed and died in a polling booth at Neduvathur in Adoor constituency.

In Elamakkara in Kochi, one Antony, a polling agent for the Congress candidate Edward Edezhath, died in a similar way.