Only 43 candidates of the original 77 who filed papers remain in the electoral fray in Varanasi after the final withdrawal and scrutiny of nominations for the May 12 Lok Sabha poll, the State Election Commission said Monday.
Most of them dropped out after the last date of withdrawal. Final scrutiny ended at 3 p.m. Monday.
Details of the independent candidates who remained in the contest were not immediately known.
Voting for the 2014 Lok Sabha election in Varanasi would be held on May 12. The main candidates in fray are Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Aam Admi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal and Congress party's Ajay Rai.