Highest ever voter turnout after 8th phase of LS polling

New Delhi: India registered a record turnout of voters, surpassing the previous record in 1984, as 66.27 per cent voting was reported in 502 Lok Sabha seats where polling has been conducted this time.Turnout of women voters also recorded highest figure ever as they outnumbered men in 13 states this time.Voting in Andhra Pradesh is highest ever at 73.46 per cent against 72.63 per cent in the last elections.Turnout in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal and Uttarakhand was higher than last time. Elections were completed in these four states today.Election Commission Director General Akshay Rout told reporters that polling has been held in 502 seats and the total voter turnout was 66.27 per cent against 57.74 per cent in those seats in the last elections.He said the total voting percentage in these seats is likely to go up further as postal ballots have not been taken into account yet.Elections were held today in 64 Lok Sabha constituencies in the pen-ultimate phase of polling for the 16th Lok Sabha.Rout said till now the highest voting percentage was in 1984 when the turnout was 64 per cent.The last phase of polling for 41 seats will be held in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.Rout said 30 states out 32 states and Union Territories record higher polling than the last elections.Jammu and Kashmir also witnessed higher voting with 49.96 per cent polling this time as against 39.68 per cent last time.Voting in Himachal Pradesh was 66.5 per cent against 53.7 per cent last time. In Uttarakhand, polling was 62 per cent against 53.68 per cent last time.Arunachal Pradesh, Chandigarh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, Punjab and Meghalaya saw more turnout of women than men.Here are the live updates:05:56 pm:78% polling in West Bengal till 5 pm05:53 pm: 51.49% polling in UP till 5 pm. 50.66% in Amethi 05:51 pm: 53.12% polling in Bihar till 5 pm 04:02 pm: 62% polling in Seemandhra till 3 pm03:58 pm: 44.42% polling in UP till 3 pm. 47.86% polling in Basti (highest)03:48 pm: 46.95% polling in Bihar till 3 pm01:54 pm: 37.50% polling in 1 pm01:48 pm: 36.15% polling in UP till 1 pm12:44 pm: Rahul Gandhi said that there is no competition. We will win by greater margin this time12:12 pm: 22.36% polling in Bihar till 11 am 12:11 pm: 27.80% polling in Amethi till 11 am 11:58 am: 25.18% polling in UP till 11 am 10:56 am: In Bihar 15.28 % voting till 10 am10:11 am: Till 9 am 10% polling in Amethi10:01 AM: Till 9 am 24% polling in Bengal09:55 am: Till 9 am voting 15% in Seemaandhra09:36 am: 9.46% polling in Bihar till 9 am09:17 am: Rahul Gandhi chats with the people of Amethi. Rahul said that all of them are happy09:13 am: 7% voting in Basti (UP) till 9 am07:55 am: Rahul says that deeds can be petty (neeche) not caste.07:53 am: Rahul has left for Amethi07:38 am: Rahul Gandhi reaches Fursatganj Airport. From here he will be heading for Amethi. This is the first time that Rahul will be in his constituency on the polling day.