Over 60 percent voting in Dadra and Nagar Haveli

Nearly two-thirds of the electorate voted Wednesday in Dadra and Nagar Haveli for the lone Lok Sabha seat in the union territory, officials said.

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.

Poll officials said voting was peaceful and moving on smoothly. Till 1 p.m., 61.86 percent of electors had voted.

The 200,000 eligible electors include 46 percent women. Over 26 percent electors are 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.

The union territory - 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.