The Hindu Business Line : Lower turnout due to rains, missing names in Kerala

BRISK polling in the closing hours of the final phase of elections to the Lok Sabha might help Kerala tot up a polling percentage between 65 per cent and 70 per cent, which would mean that the 70.17 per cent it logged in the 1999 general elections would not be matched in the final analysis.

The exact polling percentage would be known only by Tuesday, according to the State Election Commission sources.

Poll observers attributed the less-than-enthusiastic response from a State known for traditional heavy turnouts in general elections to reasons ranging from inclement weather to missing names in the updated voters' lists.

Apart from Kerala, elections on Monday were held for 18 seats in Uttar Pradesh; 17 in Madhya Pradesh; two in Jammu and Kashmir; 42 in West Bengal; 39 in Tamil Nadu; 13 in Punjab; 10 in Haryana; seven in Delhi; five in Uttaranchal; four in Himachal Pradesh; one each in Lakshadweep, Pondicherry, Chandigarh, Assam and Sikkim.

Polling in the State had begun at a leisurely pace largely due to the freak rain reported from many places, including in Thiruvananthapuram City and the immediate suburbs.

The untimely showers had prompted many eligible voters from reaching their allocated booths, affecting the turnout for a good one hour. However, as the skies cleared later in the morning, queues began to take shape before most of the 20,333 polling booths in the State.

By early afternoon, an average 30 per cent of the 2.10-crore electorate had cast their votes for the 20 Lok Sabha seats.

Among the early voters were the Chief Minister, Mr A.K. Antony, and the Union Minister of State for Defence in the outgoing Cabinet, Mr O. Rajagopal. The latter is engaged in a keenly fought three-cornered contest from the Thiruvanan- thapuram Lok Sabha constituency.

The other member in the outgoing Union Cabinet, Mr P.C. Thomas, Minister of State for Law, was among those in the fray from the State. Mr Thomas was fighting a prestige battle to defend his Muvattupuzha seat in central Kerala.

Several cases of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) developing snags in the early hours were reported from several parts of the State, leading to disruption of the polling process for varying periods. But, polling resumed in right earnest after the EVMs were rectified.

Barring minor altercations involving activists of various political parties, the State more or less managed to maintain its relatively incident-free history of polling for elections to the Lok Sabha.

However, three deaths from natural causes were reported from separate booths in the State.

The highest noon-time polling of 42 per cent polling was recorded from Vadagara, while Chirayinkeezhu, that borders Thiruvananthapuram in the south, had brought up the rear with 21.9 per cent.