Representative image of people casting vote.
Credit: iStock Photo
Port Blair: An estimated 56.87 per cent of the total 3,15,148 voters in Andaman and Nicobar Islands exercised their franchise till 5 pm on Friday for the lone Lok Sabha seat in the Union territory, an official said.
Speaking to PTI, Returning Officer Arjun Sharma said, 'It’s good to see that a large number of voters including elderly and physically challenged people turned up despite hot and humid weather. Every ballot is a testament to unity and participation. Voting will continue till 7 pm.' He said, 'So far voting is going on peacefully. The most challenging part was ensuring voting arrangements for jawans posted at Look Out Posts (LoPs), which are remote and in the middle of the open sea. There are seven LoPs and the farthest are at Tillangchong, Narcondam Island and East Island. All the jawans exercised their voting rights.' In all, 12 candidates, including two women and five independents, are in the fray.
The key contest is between BJP's Bishnu Pada Ray and Congress' Kuldeep Rai Sharma, the sitting MP.
The Andaman Nicobar Islands parliamentary constituency covers three districts and nine tehsils.
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