LIVE | 63% turnout in LS polls phase 4; Bengal tops with 76% amid violence
Polling was held in 96 constituencies across 9 states, 1 UT; 175 Assembly seats of Andhra Pradesh and 28 of Odisha also went to polls in this phase
A voter turnout of over 63 per cent was recorded in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections in 96 constituencies spread over nine states and one Union Territory amid incidents of violence in Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal and reports of poll boycott in some villages of Uttar Pradesh.
There were also reports of malfunctioning of EVMs in some booths of West Bengal and Odisha.
The voting, which started at 7 am, continued till 6 pm. Jammu and Kashmir witnessed the lowest voting percentage with 36.58 per cent voters exercising their franchise, while West Bengal recorded the highest with 75.94 per cent.
Among other states, Andhra Pradesh recorded 68.12 per cent, Bihar 56.85 per cent, Jharkhand 63.37 per cent, Madhya Pradesh 71.72 per cent, Maharashtra 52.75 per cent, Odisha, 63.85 per cent, Telangana 61.39 per cent and Uttar Pradesh 57.88 per cent till last reports came in on Monday.
In the first three of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections, polling concluded in 283 seats out of 543.
For Monday, over 19 lakh polling officials were deployed at 1.92 lakh polling stations for over 17.70 crore eligible voters, including 8.73 crore women.
There were 1,717 candidates in the fray for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha polls.
Polling was held in all 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana, all 25 seats in Andhra Pradesh, 13 in Uttar Pradesh, five in Bihar, four in Jharkhand, eight in Madhya Pradesh, 11 in Maharashtra, four in Odisha, eight in West Bengal and one in Jammu and Kashmir.
Also, 175 Assembly seats of Andhra Pradesh and 28 Assembly seats of Odisha went to polls in this phase.
Live Updates
- 13 May 2024 6:55 PM IST
Odisha CEO suspends 3 polling officials, directs police to arrest 2
Odisha’s Chief Electoral Officer Nikunja Bihari Dhal on Monday suspended three polling officials and directed the police to arrest two of them for “serious dereliction of duty”.
Dhal told reporters, “We have directed the Ganjam collector to suspend three presiding officers of three polling booths and arrest two of them for serious dereliction of duty.”
The presiding officer of polling booth number 193 in Gopalpur assembly constituency has been put under suspension while the presiding officers of booth numbers 27 and 163 in Chatrapur assembly segment in Ganjam district have been suspended and police were directed to arrest them, he said.
Earlier in the day, the CEO suspended one polling official in Narla assembly constituency in Kalahandi district and another in Chikiti assembly seat in Ganjam district.
So far, five polling officials have been suspended after they were engaged in senior misconduct during the election, officials said.
The CEO and his team are continuously monitoring the election process through direct webcasting from the booths, they added.
- 13 May 2024 5:47 PM IST
Kashmiri Pandits vote for safe return to Valley
Despite a hot weather, Kashmiri Pandits from Srinagar constituency flocked to special polling stations in Jammu on Monday and voted for the rehabilitation of their community on “social, economic, and political” fronts.
The community, which was forced to flee from the valley in the early 90s under fear of militancy, demanded their permanent return and rehabilitation with guarantee of peace and security.
Kashmiri Pandits lined up in long queues amid tight security to cast their ballots in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections.
“I have voted for our permanent return to Kashmir valley in an atmosphere of peace and security. We have been waiting for the past 34 years to live in the valley. We hope this dream of ours will materialise now,” Om Prakash, who was carried on a wheelchair from his quarters in the Jagti migrant camp, said.
Forced to migrate with his family from the Pulwama area at the age of 47, Om Prakash said a return is needed to preserve the ancient civilization of Pandits in the valley. “It is a human issue, not a political issue.”
Surinder Dhar, who cast his vote along with his wife at the Jagti polling station, said the community votes every time for a return to the valley but there has been no justice yet.
Joyti Bhat said, “Every time, we vote with the hope of returning to our Kashmiri homes … This time too we voted demanding justice. We want our township in Kashmir.”
Anurodh Kaul, a first-time voter, expressed concern over the brain drain in the region and demanded restoration of peace in the valley so that youths don't feel the need to escape.
“We voted to urge the government to take such steps promptly so that the community returns and grows back with peace and our civilization is saved. They should also ensure economic and political empowerment and create job opportunities in the valley,” Anurodh said.
Most of the Kashmiri Pandits said they have seen a change for good in the valley, which is seeing fewer militants and more tourists now.
“We have not received much from this government as a community. But we are happy to see Kashmir changing from the home of terrorism to a paradise for tourism for some time now. We hope that terrorism will be completely eradicated,” said Karan Zutshi.
On the other hand, scores of Kashmiri Pandits were also unable to vote because their names were missing from the electoral rolls.
