Elections 2024 Phase 1 Voting: The results will be announced on June 4.
Voting for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections has begun in 21 states and UTs — Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhatisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry.
Over 16.63 crore voters, including 8.4 crore men and 8.23 crore women, will cast their vote across 1.87 lakh polling stations. Voting bean at 7 am and will end at 6 pm.
The elections to the five seats in Jammu and Kashmir will be held across five phases almost five years to the abrogation of Article 370. Among the prominent candidates in the first phase are Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Bhupendra Yadav, Kiren Rijiju, Sanjeev Baliyan, Jitendra Singh, Arjun Ram Meghwal and Sarbananda Sonowal. Also in the fray are Congress’s Gaurav Gogoi, DMK’s Kanimozhi as well as BJP’s Tamil Nadu chief K Annamalai.
While the BJP-led National Democratic alliance (NDA) under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a stronger majority, the opposition INDIA bloc are hoping for a rebound. In 2019, the UPA had won 45 of the 102 seats at stake on Friday and the NDA 41. Six of these seats have been redrawn as part of the delimitation exercise.
The general elections to elect 543 members of the 18th Lok Sabha will be held in seven phases, from April 19 to June 1. The results will be announced on June 4.
Here are the LIVE updates on Lok Sabha polls Phase 1:
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Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma reached the Walbakgre polling station in Tura at 6.30 am and is waiting in queue for his turn to vote.
Five years after Jammu and Kashmir lost its special status following the abrogation of Article 370, voting began in the first phase of general elections in the Udhampur constituency.
The polling will be held in 2,637 polling stations across the constituency despite pouring rain and will decide the fate of 12 candidates, including Union Minister Jitendra Singh.
Early voters braved the inclement weather in the morning to head to the polling stations. Over 16 lakh people, including 845,283 are men and 777,899 women are eligible to cast their vote.
It is an important day today, as the first phase of voting is taking place in the country. I appeal to all the voters who are voting in this phase to vote in large numbers because every vote of yours has the power to create a secure, developed, and self-reliant India. Your vote…
– Amit Shah (Modi Ka Parivar) (@AmitShah) April 19, 2024
In the first phase of the general elections, voting has begun for the five Lok Sabha seats of Maharashtra where more than 95 lakh people are eligible to vote.
In Nagpur, there is a direct fight between senior BJP leader Gadkari and Congress candidate Vikas Thakre.
In Chandrapur, BJP candidate and Maharashtra minister Sudhir Mungantiwar is facing Congress nominee Pratibha Dhanorkar
In Bhandara-Gondia, the BJP has fielded sitting MP Sunil Mendhe, who is pitted against Congress candidate Dr Prashant Patole.
Two-time Lok Sabha MP of BJP, Ashok Nete, is contesting against Congress nominee Dr Namdev Kirsan in Gadchiroli-Chimur (ST)
In Ramtek, the fight is between Shyamkumar Barwe of the Congress and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena’s candidate Raju Parwe.
Amid tight secuirty, voting has begun for the lone Lok Sabha seat in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. A total of 3.15 lakh voters – 1.64 lakh men, 1.51 lakh women are eligible to vote. Special polling stations have been established for 39 voters of the Great Nicobarese tribe of Strait Islands, 68 members of the Onge tribe at Hut Bay and 98 Shompen tribals of Great Nicobar Island.
The 2024 Lok Sabha elections commence today! As 102 seats across 21 States and UTs go to the polls, I urge all those voting in these seats to exercise their franchise in record numbers. I particularly call upon the young and first time voters to vote in large numbers. After all,…
– Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 19, 2024
Lok Sabha Polls 2024: Voting Begins In 21 States And Union Territories
For the lone Lok Sabha in Nagaland, one-fourth of the total polling booths have been marked as critical and vulnerable. Over 13.25 lakh voters will decide the fate of three candidates at 2,342 polling booths. 588 of them have been marked as critical and vulnerable. Polling will begin at 7 am and go on till 4 pm. Nearly 20,000 first-time voters, 22,140 senior citizens above 85 years and 6,707 people with disabilities are eligible to cast their vote today.
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar has urged voters across the country to participate in the first phase general elections today. “More than 16 crore voter slips have been distributed in phase one. It’s a kind of invitation that is reaching your house, saying this is your polling station. This is your voter list. Please come and vote. youth, male, female, old age, transgender, everybody we are looking for. Our staff is a very well trained. Teams are there at all the polling stations to welcome you very, very courteously. Please come,” he said.
Here’s a list of 102 constituencies that go to polls today:
These prominent leaders are in the fray in the first phase of voting for the Lok Sabha polls:
- Nitin Gadkari
- Sarbanada Sonowal
- Bhupendra Yadav
- Gaurav Gogoi
- Kanimozhi
- K Annamalai
- Bhupendra Yadav
- Kiren Rijiju
- Sanjeev Baliyan
- Jitendra Singh
- Arjun Ram Meghwal
- Biplab Kumar Deb
Here are some facts about the first phase of polling:
- 102 Parliamentary Constituencies (PCs) in 21 States/UTs
- Voting begins at 7 am and ends at 6 pm
- Over 16.63 crore voters include 8.4 crore male; 8.23 crore female and 11,371 third-gender.
- 35.67 lakh first-time voters are registered to exercise their right to franchise.
- 3.51 crore young voters in the age group of 20-29 years.
- 41 helicopters, 84 special trains and nearly 1 lakh vehicles have been deployed to ferry polling and security personnel.
- 361 observers have already reached their constituencies.
- 4,627 flying squads, 5,208 statistics surveillance teams, 2,028 video surveillance teams and 1,255 video viewing teams to deal with any form of inducement of voters.
- 1,374 inter-state and 162 international border checkposts to check flow of liquor, drugs, cash and freebies.
- 14.14 lakh registered voters aged 85 plus and 13.89 lakh Persons with disabilities (PwD)
