LIVE | Lok Sabha polls: 58.34% turnout till 5 pm; violence rocks Bengal
Voting is being held in all 13 seats of Punjab and 4 of Himachal, 13 in UP, 9 in Bengal, 8 in Bihar, 6 in Odisha, and 3 in Jharkhand, in addition to Chandigarh
A voter turnout of 58.34 per cent was recorded till 5 pm on Saturday (June 1) in the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha polls with incidents of violence between TMC and BJP supporters reported in Sandeshkhali region of West Bengal, and complaints of EVM glitches and rigging at some booths lodged.
A turnout of nearly 67.95 per cent was recorded in Jharkhand. Uttar Pradesh logged a polling percentage of 54, West Bengal 69.89, Bihar 48.86 and Himachal Pradesh 66.56. Punjab recorded a voter turnout of 55.20 per cent till 5 pm while Chandigarh registered a voting percentage of 62.80. Odisha recorded around 62.46 per cent voting.
The turnout in the first six phases of the general election was 66.14 per cent, 66.71 per cent, 65.68 per cent, 69.16 per cent, 62.2 per cent and 63.36 per cent respectively.
Violence in West Bengal
Reports of violence came in from West Bengal, especially in South 24-Parganas district, where a mob stormed a booth and took away an EVM machine. Later, the machine was found in a nearby pond. Clashes broke out between supporters of the TMC, ISF and the BJP in Jadavpur constituency as both parties clashed over stopping polling agents from entering the booths.
In Sandeshkhali, clashes broke out between TMC and BJP supporters over allegations of electoral malpractices. BJP candidate Rekha Patra alleged that TMC goons stopped voters from casting their votes. The TMC made counter allegations and accused Patra and BJP goons of trying to vitiate the poll atmosphere. As both the groups came to blows on Basanti expressway, police resorted to baton charge and tear gas shelling to disperse the mob.
All you need to know about Last Phase polls
Over 10.06 crore citizens, including nearly 5.24 crore men, 4.82 crore women and 3,574 third gender electors are voting in this phase.
Polling is on in all 13 seats of Punjab and four of Himachal Pradesh, 13 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, nine in West Bengal, eight in Bihar, six in Odisha and three seats in Jharkhand besides Chandigarh. Polling for the remaining 42 assembly constituencies of Odisha and bypolls to six assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh will also take place simultaneously.
Prominent Candidates
Other prominent candidates among the total 904 contestants in fray are Union minister Anurag Thakur, Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee, Lalu Prasad's daughter Misa Bharti and actor Kangana Ranaut.
Today's voting marks the end of the marathon polling process that began on April 19 and has already covered 486 Lok Sabha seats in 28 states and Union territories. The assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim also went to polls. Counting of votes will be taken up on June 4. In Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, the counting for the assembly polls will be held on June 2.
According to Election Commission guidelines, television channels and news outlets will be able to run exit poll data and its results on June 1 after 6.30 pm.
STATES GOING TO POLLS TODAY
UTTAR PRADESH
Constituencies going to polls: 13 of 80 (Maharajganj, Gorakhpur, Kushinagar, Deoria, Bansgaon, Ghosi, Salempur, Ballia, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Mirzapur, Robertsganj)
PUNJAB
Constituencies going to polls: All 13 (Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Khadoor Sahib, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Anandpur Sahib, Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, Faridkot, Firozpur, Bathinda, Sangrur, Patiala)
HIMACHAL PRADESH
Constituencies going to polls: All 4 (Kangra, Mandi, Hamirpur, Shimla)
Assembly segments due for bypolls – 6 (Gagret, Dharamsala, Barsar, Lahaul & Spiti, Kutlehar and Sujanpur)
BIHAR
Constituencies going to polls: 8 of 40 (Patna Sahib, Pataliputra, Arrah, Buxar, Sasaram, Karakat, Jahanabad, Nalanda)
JHARKHAND
Constituencies going to polls: 3 of 11 (Rajmahal, Dumka, Godda)
ODISHA
Constituencies going to polls: 6 of 21 (Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur)
WEST BENGAL
Constituencies going to polls: 9 of 42 (Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jaynagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin, Kolkata Uttar)
Live Updates
- 1 Jun 2024 8:04 AM IST
Exit polls decision: Amit Shah takes a dig at Congress
Union Home Minister Amit Shah took a dig at the Congress over its decision not to participate in exit poll debates, saying the grand old party has been in a “denial mode" after realising the reality of Lok Sabha election result
"The Congress ran the campaign through the polls that it is going to get a majority. But it has now realised the reality and knows that it faces a rout in the exit polls to be broadcast after the elections tomorrow," the senior BJP leader said.
- 1 Jun 2024 7:57 AM IST
What PM said on voting day
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged people to vote in large numbers as polling for the last phase of Lok Sabha elections began.
"Together, let's make our democracy more vibrant and participative," the Prime Minister said on X.
Modi's parliamentary constituency Varanasi is also voting on Saturday.
"Today is the final phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. As 57 seats across 8 states and UTs go to the polls, calling upon the voters to turnout in large numbers and vote. I hope young and women voters exercise their franchise in record numbers," he said
- 1 Jun 2024 7:35 AM IST
A quick guide on Phase 7
All you need to know about Phase 7 polling: A quick guide for you
