CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat arrives to cast his vote at a polling station in New Delhi on Thursday. Photo: PTI

New Delhi/Kolkata/Jaipur (PTI): Moderate to brisk voting was recorded till early afternoon in today's fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections in eight states and union territories which was marred by sporadic violence in West Bengal and Rajasthan where two persons were killed.

While a high turnout of 35 to 40 per cent was registered in Punjab, Haryana and West Bengal, voting percentages varied from nearly 30 per cent each in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh to about 25 per cent in Delhi and Rajasthan. Around ten per cent of electorate had exercised its franchise till midday for the Srinagar parliamentary seat.

A 28-year-old CPI(M) worker, Kashinath Mondal was killed when unidentified persons hurled bombs at him while he was returning after casting his vote at Eroali village under the West Bengal's Jangipur parliamentary constituency in Murshidabad district, Superintendent of Police B L Meena said.

External Affairs minister and Congress heavyweight, Pranab Mukherjee, is contesting from Jangipur.

One person was killed when paramilitary personnel opened fire to prevent a mob from capturing a booth in Olwara village in Rajasthan's Sawaimadhopur district, police said in Jaipur.

As many as 9.46 crore people are eligible to vote in the 85 constituencies where polling is being held in the fourth phases. 1,315 candidates including 119 women are in the fray.

Other prominent candidates include Congress' Kapil Sibal (Chandni Chowk), Sachin Pilot (Ajmer), Shekhar Suman (Patna Saheb), Ajay Maken (New Delhi), BJP's Shatrughan Sinha (Patna Saheb), HJC's Bhajan Lal (Hisar) and RLD's Ajit Singh (Baghpat).

Brisk polling was reported right from the start of polling in Punjab for four of the 13 Lok Sabha seats, including hyper sensitive seats of Bathinda and Patiala. The other nine seats in the state will go to polls in the last phase on May 13.

Since the polls began on April 16, election has been completed to 372 seats of the 545-member Lok Sabha. Elections are held only to 543 seats, as two members are nominated from the Anglo-Indian community.