High turnout in Dadra and Nagar Haveli

Nearly 75 percent of the electors Wednesday voted in Dadra and Nagar Haveli for the lone parliamentary seat in the union territory, officials said.

Poll officials said 74.42 percent voting was recorded till 3 p.m. and the percentage was likely to go above 80 percent by the time voting ends.

The prominent candidates are incumbent MP Natubhai Gomanbhai Patel of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Mohanbhai Sanjibhai Delkar of the Congress, Janiyabhai Chandubhai Khulat of the Nationalist Congress Party and Chhotubhai Babubhai Patel of the Aam Aadmi Party. Seven others are also in the fray.

Over 200,000 electors, including 46 percent women, are eligible to vote. Over 26 percent of the electorate is in the 18-25 age group.

Balloting is taking place at 163 polling booths.

In 2009, the BJP had polled 46.43 percent votes, while the Congress had polled fractionally less at 45.87 percent. The overall voter turnout was 73.23 percent.

Dadra and Nagar Haveli - a former Portuguese colony - lies in the western part of India, 24 km from the Arabian Sea coast, and is situated between the states of Gujarat to the north and Maharashtra to the south.