70 Per Cent Turnout In Punjab Election, 83 In Goa, Voting Closed: Highlights

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged voters, especially the youth, to turn out in huge numbers as Goa and Punjab cast their ballots today, kickstarting the Assembly elections of 2017. This is the first electoral test for the BJP after Mr Modi's demonetisation drive of November 8, which has been vociferously criticised by the opposition. The single-phase elections in the two states sees a high-octane three-way battle between the BJP, Congress and a debutante Aam Aadmi Party. Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who was among the first to cast his vote in Goa, could make a return to state politics after BJP chief Amit Shah said at a rally that the new government would work under the leadership of Mr Parrikar, should the BJP retain power in the Goa. Meanwhile, in Punjab, the Badal family voted in patriarch Parkash Singh Badal's Lambi constituency.

Punjab witnesses intense competition in Lambi - where incumbent Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal will face his predecessor Amarinder Singh - and the Jalalabad seat, where AAP MP Bhagwant Mann seeks to dethrone Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal. Former BJP MP and newly-inducted Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu will contest from Amritsar East whereas Amarinder Singh will also face former Army chief General JJ Singh in Patiala.

Here are the live update from Punjab and Goa assembly elections:

7:15 pm IST: Election Commission shares figures for Punjab and Goa elections in their media brief

6:12 pm IST: In its single phase voting day, Punjab recorded 70 per cent voter turn out today.

5:53 pm IST: Punjab's voter turnout this year, till 4 pm, was significantly lower than that witnessed in last assembly elections

#PunjabElections2017 | Punjab has recorded 66% voter turnout till 4 pm

Track LIVE #AssemblyElections2017 updates: https://t.co/QiAdSTM6uL pic.twitter.com/Z0xkTxt0WU

— NDTV (@ndtv) February 4, 2017

2:00 pm IST: Goa saw a 53 per cent voter turnout in the first five hours of polling. Voting in Punjab began at 8 am and 32 per cent have voted so far.

11: 50 am IST: Former BJP MP and Congress candidate from Amritsar East Navjot Singh Sidhu casts his vote.

11:49 am IST: Congress' chief ministerial candidate in Punjab Amarinder Singh has tweeted and said that he is seeking his mother's blessings.

Seeking my mother's blessings before casting my vote. Let this be a new dawn for Punjab!

- Capt.Amarinder Singh (@capt_amarinder) February 4, 2017

11:29 am IST: Polling in some constituencies in Punjab paused due to faulty EVM machines, said sources to NDTV

11:00 am IST: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Akali Dal chief and Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal and Union Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal cast their votes in the Lambi constituency.

10: 45 am IST: 10 per cent voting reported in Punjab till 10 am.

9:50 am IST: Aam Aadmi Party MP and candidate from Jalalabad Bhagwant Mann casts his vote.

9:30 am IST: Former Chief Minister and Congress leader Digambar Kamat casts his vote in South Goa's Margao.

8:50 am IST: Polling at Jalandhar's booth number 66 delayed due to glitch in the EVM machine.

8:44 am IST: Polling at Amritsar's booth number 124-125 begins 40 minutes late due to a glitch in the EVM machine, reports news agency ANI.

8:20 am IST: Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar casts his vote.

8:15 am IST: "I lost 4 kg in Delhi. I like Goan food," says Mr Parrikar on speculation over his return to Goa politics.

8:10 am IST: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar casts his vote in the Goa assembly elections.

8:03 am IST: Polling begins in Punjab. Akali Dal candidate General (retired) JJ Singh casts his vote in Patiala Urban constituency.

7:15 am IST: Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar arrives to cast his vote for the Goa assembly polls in Panaji.

Urging people of Punjab & Goa to turnout in record numbers & vote in the Assembly elections. I particularly urge my young friends to vote.

- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 4, 2017