Voting ends on a high note
62 pc polling in last phase 
l 2 killed in WB 
l Scramble for allies on
New Delhi, May 13
Curtain rang down on the massive exercise of voting in the Lok Sabha elections today with nearly 62 per cent of electorate casting ballots in the fifth and final phase. Polling was largely peaceful, barring stray incidents in West Bengal in which two people were killed.

Editorial: Well-done, EC

Voters stand in a queue to cast their vote in the Lok Sabha elections at Hoshiarpur on Wednesday. Tribune photo: Manoj Mahajan

Jayalalithaa keeps all options open
Chennai, May 13
AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, leading the Third Front in Tamil Nadu today said she was “keeping all options open" and will take a decision after the election results were announced, in consultation with her allies.

Boycott mars elections in HP
Shimla, May 13
The fate of 31 candidates from four parliamentary constituencies was locked in electronic voting machines as the hill state recorded a moderate turnout with 58 to 60 per cent of the electorate exercising their franchise. Polling began on a low key and only 10 to 12 per cent votes were cast in the first three hours.

Assembly Election
Post polls, AP parties in anti-poaching mode
Hyderabad, May 13
With pollsters predicting a hung Assembly, the political parties in Andhra Pradesh have started organising camps for their candidates to prevent poaching by rivals. Particularly, smaller parties feel vulnerable to poaching as their legislators will be among the most sought-after by major contenders for power to touch the magic figure of 148 in the 294-member Assembly.

Lapang sworn in Meghalaya CM
Guwahati, May 13
Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister DD Lapang was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Meghalaya today in the wake of the Centre’s decision to withdraw the President’s Rule in the hill state. Governor Ranjit Sekhar Mooshahary administered the oath of office and secrecy to Lapang at a function in Raj Bhavan.

Stray incidents of violence in Punjab PTC channel telecast stopped by EC Chandigarh, May 13 An assertive Election Commission today intervened to stop telecast of a controversial programme on a television channel during polling in Punjab. The Commission’s attention was drawn to a panel discussion being aired by PTC channel. The discussion centred around the Prime Minister’s reported statement that the Sikh community needed to move on while speaking about the 1984 anti-sikh riots. Cop on poll duty shoots fellow