35 per cent voter turnout recorded in Varanasi till 1 PM

In a tweet, Modi urged voters in all the 41 constituencies, which went to polls in the final phase of voting, to come in large numbers and vote.  

“My special request to the youth, go out and vote and take your families and friends to the polling votes,” he said in another tweet.

The police conducted raids and precautionary checks in various areas in the last two days besides keeping a strong vigil in localities identified as “sensitive”.

There have been searches by police at hotels, guest houses and dharamshalas to flush out “outsiders” who are not from Varanasi and were involved in campaigning.