Lok Sabha polls phase 1: Voter turnout at 49.78% till 3 pm
People were undeterred by rains in certain parts such as Jammu and Kashmir's Uddhampur and waited in queues for their turn to vote
People stand in queue to vote at a polling booth in Uttar Pradesh during the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls, on Friday (April 19). Photo: X/@ECISVEEP
The estimated voter turnout at 3 pm in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Friday (April 19) was nearly 50 per cent, according to the Election Commission (EC).
The voting percentage was around 49.78, the EC said. A spokesperson of the poll panel said the figures were only approximate.
In a statement earlier in the day, the poll watchdog had described the voter turnout till 1 pm as "substantial". Polling was progressing "smoothly and peacefully" across 21 states and union territories, it had said.
Visuals of voters standing in long queues waiting for their chance to vote were seen across polling stations as voting began at 7 am, the poll panel said.
People were undeterred by rains in certain parts such as Jammu and Kashmir's Uddhampur and waited in queues for their turn to vote.
Polling for assembly elections is also being held simultaneously in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.
Over 16.63 crore people are eligible to vote in this phase. In the first phase, there are 35.67 lakh first-time voters, besides 3.51 crore young voters in the age group of 20-29 years.
The counting of votes in the elections that will conclude on June 1 will be taken up on June 4.
Polling is being held for all seats of Tamil Nadu (39), Uttarakhand (5), Arunachal Pradesh (2), Meghalaya (2), Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1), Mizoram (1), Nagaland (1), Puducherry (1), Sikkim (1) and Lakshadweep (1).
Besides, voting is underway in 12 seats of Rajasthan, eight in Uttar Pradesh, six in Madhya Pradesh, five seats each in Assam and Maharashtra, four in Bihar, three in West Bengal, two in Manipur, and one seat each in Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir and Chhattisgarh.
(With agency inputs)