Mumbai/ Ranchi

A voter turnout of 18.14 percent was recorded till 11 am in the single-phase assembly elections in Maharashtra while Jharkhand recorded a turnout of 31.37 percent by the same time in the second phase of assembly polls, according to the Election Commission of India.

Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra recorded the highest voter turnout of 30.00 percent, while the district of Nanded recorded the lowest voter turnout of 13.67 percent till 11 am, as per the data of the Election Commission of India (ECI).

According to the poll body's figures, Mumbai city recorded a voter turnout of 15.78 percent, Mumbai Suburban 17.99 percent, Nagpur 18.90 percent, Thane 16.63 percent, Aurangabad 17.45 percent, Pune 15.64 percent, Nashik 18.71 percent, Satara 18.72 percent, Kolhapur 20.59 percent, Dhule 20.11 percent, Palghar 19.40 percent, Ratnagiri 22.93 percent and Latur 18.55 percent.

Voter turnout for Sindhudurg was recorded at 20.91 percent, Wardha at 18.86 percent, Osmanabad at 17.07 percent, Washim at 16.22 percent, Yavatmal at 19.38 percent, Solapur at 15.64 percent, Sangli at 18.55 percent, Ahmednagar at 18.24 percent, Akola at 16.35 percent, Amravati at 17.45 percent, Beed at 17.41 percent, Bhandara at 19.44 percent, Buldhana at 19.23 percent, Chandrapur at 21.50 percent, Gondiya at 23.32 percent, Hingoli at 19.20 percent, Jalna at 21.29 percent, Nandurbar at 21.60 percent, Parbhani at 18.49 percent and Raigad at 20.40 percent.

In the second phase of assembly polls, Jharkhand recorded a turnout of 31.37 percent till 11 am, with Pakur district with the highest turnout of 35.15 percent while Bokaro with lowest turnout of 27.72 percent.

As per the ECI, Deoghar recorded a turnout of 32.84 percent, Dhanbad 28.02 percent, Dumka 33.05 percent, Giridih 31.56 percent, Hazaribagh 31.04 percent, Jamtara 33.78 percent, Ramgarh 33.45 percent, Ranchi 34.75 percent and Sahebganj 30.90 percent.

The voter turnout for the Nanded Parliamentary constituency in Maharashtra was recorded at 12.59 percent till 11 am.

As by-polls are also underway on several seats, Kedarnath in Uttarakhand recorded a turnout of 17.69 percent while Palakkad in Kerala recorded a 24.95 percent turnout till 11 am.

In the bye-elections of Punjab, as of 11 am, a voter turnout for Gidderbaha was recorded at 20.91 percent, Dera Baba Nanak at 25.50 percent, Barnala at 16.30 percent and Chabbewal at 12.71 percent.

As of 11 am, in Uttar Pradesh by-polls, Meerapur recorded a voter turnout of 26.18 percent, Majhwan 20.41 percent, Khair 19.18 percent, Phulpur 17.68 percent, Kundarki 28.54 percent, Karhal 20.71 percent, Katehari 24.28 percent, Ghaziabad 12.87 percent and Sishmau 15.91 percent.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday cast his vote at a polling booth in Kopri-Pachpakhadi, Thane in the Maharashtra Assembly Elections that began this morning.

After voting, the incumbent Chief Minister, along with his family, showed his inked finger to the media. Shinde, who became the 20th Chief Minister of Maharashtra after leading a rebellion against Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, is a four-time elected MLA from the Kopri-Pachpakhadi constituency in Thane.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis also urged people to vote in large numbers, underlining the importance of voting in a democracy. He said, "The biggest festival of democracy is ongoing. Along with my family, I have cast my vote. I urge everyone to vote in large numbers because voting is not just our right but also our responsibility. We elect a Govt in democracy and hold expectations from them. So, voting is important."

Fadnavis, along with his wife Amruta and mother Sarita cast their votes at a booth in Nagpur.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), under the leadership of the BJP, is certain to win in both Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly polls.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to vote in large numbers for the assembly elections.

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Voting began at 7 am on Wednesday for the single-phase on288 seats of Maharashtra assembly elections and second phase of the Jharkhand Assembly elections, covering the remaining 38 seats.