Election LIVE | First phase records 62% voter turnout; violence, EVM glitches affect voting
Among the voters were first-timers, many newly-wed couples who came in their traditional attires, physically-challenged people and some elderly persons carried on stretchers and wheelchairs
An aggregate 62.37 per cent voter turnout was recorded in phase one of the Lok Sabha polls on Friday, the Election Commission (EC) said.
While the figures were issued after the conclusion of polls, the commission said people who were in the queue when voting ended at 6 pm were allowed to exercise their franchise.
"The voting percentage is likely to go upwards when reports from all polling stations are obtained as polling is scheduled till 6 pm in many constituencies. Final figures will be known on Saturday after the scrutiny of form 17A," the EC said.
Polling took place in 102 constituencies across 21 states and Union Territories in the first of the seven-phase elections.The commission described the turnout as "high", noting that voting remained "largely peaceful".
In the first phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the voter turnout was recorded at 69.43 per cent.
Minor EVM glitches were reported at some booths in Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Assam.
Polling began at 7 am and wrapped up at 6 PM. Election officials said the turnout in West Bengal was 66.34 per cent till 3 pm and Meghalaya 62 per cent while six districts of eastern Nagaland wore a deserted look as people stayed indoors following an indefinite shutdown call by an apex body of tribal organisations to press for its demand for a separate state.
Violence in Bengal, Manipur, Chhattisgarh
In West Bengal, polling was marred by violence in the Cooch Behar seat. TMC and BJP workers clashed with each other and lodged 80 and 39 complaints respectively related to poll violence, voter intimidation, and assault on poll agents, sources from both parties said.
Polling was conducted in the Cooch Behar, Alipurdar and Jalpaigudi seats of the state.
The BJP alleged that TMC workers injured its booth president by throwing stones at him at the Chandramari area of Cooch Behar. The party also alleged that its workers were attacked in Natabari. The TMC has accused Union minister Nisith Pramanik of inciting violence in the state by keeping weapons in his office.
In strife-torn Manipur, around 45.68 per cent polling was recorded.
An altercation broke out between locals and unidentified persons in Thongju assembly constituency under the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat.
Live Updates
- 19 April 2024 2:15 PM IST
37 pc turnout recorded in 8 LS seats in Uttar Pradesh till 1 pm
An average voter turnout of 37 per cent was recorded till 1 pm on Friday in eight parliamentary constituencies of western Uttar Pradesh where voting is underway in the first phase of the Lok Sabha election.
Polling began at 7 am and according to the Election Commission, till 1 pm, 42.32 per cent voting was reported in Saharanpur, 35.25 per cent in Moradabad, 37.92 per cent in Kairana, 38.28 per cent in Nagina, 38.51 per cent in Pilibhit, 36.08 per cent in Bijnor, 32.86 per cent in Rampur and 34.51 per cent in Muzaffarnagar.
The eight constituencies recorded an overall poll percentage of 36.96 up to 1 pm.
These seats fall in the Jat and sugarcane belt of the state.
- 19 April 2024 2:14 PM IST
37 per cent polling in Uttarakhand by 1 pm
Over 37 per cent polling was recorded till 1 pm in the Lok Sabha election being held for five parliamentary constituencies in Uttarakhand on Friday, poll officials said.
Fifty-five candidates are in the fray and there are more than 83 lakh eligible voters in total.
Polling began at 7 am and the five constituencies recorded an overall poll percentage of 37.33 up to 1 pm, election officials said.
The Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar seat recorded the highest turnout of 40.46 per cent, followed by Haridwar with 39.41 per cent, Pauri Garhwal with 36.60 per cent, Tehri Garhwal with 35.29 per cent and Almora with 32.29 per cent.
- 19 April 2024 2:13 PM IST
Bihar records over 31 per cent polling in 4 LS seats till 1 pm
Around 31.47 per cent of the 75 lakh voters in four Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar have exercised their franchise till 1 pm on Friday, officials said.
The polling began at 7 am and will go on till 6 pm, a senior election official said. The voters will decide the fate of 38 candidates in these four seats.
Tight security arrangements are in place at Nawada and Aurangabad, besides reserved seats of Gaya and Jamui, where a majority of nearly 5,000 polling booths have been marked as "sensitive".
Over 34.25 per cent voters have exercised their franchise in Jamui Lok Sabha constituency, 33.99 per cent in Aurangabad, 30.40 per cent in Gaya and 27.24 per cent in Nawada till 1 pm, officials said.
- 19 April 2024 2:11 PM IST
Over 50 pc votes cast till 1 pm in West Bengal's 3 Lok Sabha seats
A voter turnout of 50.96 per cent was recorded till 1 pm in the three Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal where elections were underway in the first phase on Friday, officials said.
Polling started at 7 am in Coochbehar, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduars seats, where a total of 56.26 lakh people are eligible to vote, they said.
"Till 1 pm, the voter turnout in Coochbehar was 50.69 per cent, while that in Jalpaiguri was 50.65 per cent, and in Alipurduars was 51.58 per cent," an election official said.
All three seats are reserved, with Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri for SCs and Alipurduars for STs.
A total of 37 candidates are in the fray in the three constituencies where voting will continue till 6 pm.
- 19 April 2024 2:09 PM IST
Tripura CEO serves notice to Tipra Motha chief Pradyot Debbarma for violating MCC
The Tripura Chief Electoral Officer on Friday served a notice to Tipra Motha chief Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma for violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by making a statement during 'silence period' through a social media post.
On Thursday, Pradyot Debbarma made an appeal through live Facebook to a particular community to vote for a particular party.
"You have delivered a statement in a live Facebook post last evening violating the provision of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) under the Representatives of People Act. The electors tend to believe whatever is being said from the public forum by their leaders and in that sense, the statement made by them affect the campaign discourse", Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Puneet Agarwal, wrote to the Tipra Motha chief.
"In the light of the provisions of the MCC and relevant electoral laws, the matter is prima facie found to violate the electoral laws. It is clear from your said message that your appeal is to a particular community to vote in favour of a particular party", the CEO said.
- 19 April 2024 1:25 PM IST
Firing at polling booth in Manipur
Shooting by armed miscreants at a polling station in Thamanpokpi under Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat. No casualties have been reported yet. Official police confirmation awaited.
