Bhubaneswar:

Tension erupted on Saturday in Odisha’s Salipur assembly seat under Kendrapara Lok Sabha constituency after the Bharatiya Janata Party MLA candidate Arindam Roy alleged booth capturing by some ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) workers at a booth in Malasasan village under the segment.

Speaking to media persons, Arindam Roy said, “When I reached the booth, I was shocked to see that some eight to ten youths gathered inside the booth. They were directing a woman by holding her hand to press a particular party’s button on the EVM. Upon being asked, they identified themselves as polling agents. This is a clear case of booth capturing. When I objected to this, some BJD workers reached the spot and engaged in a brawl.”

Some alleged workers of BJD reportedly attacked BJP polling agent, Sanjay Rout, and four other party supporters with sharp weapons and wooden sticks at the booth in Malasasan village. The injured BJP workers were later rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Arindam Roy also claimed about receiving such allegations of booth rigging from at least six more booths in the assembly segment. The BJP candidate stated that he would bring these incidents to the notice of the additional district magistrate (ADM) and sub-divisional police officer (SDPO).

The BJP workers demanded re-polling at the particular booth following rigging by BJD workers.

The BJP leader Arindam Roy has urged the district administration of Cuttack to take stringent action against the guilty.

Meanwhile, the Cuttack district administration rubbished the allegations of booth capturing in the Salipur assembly segment.

“In Booth No-184 & 185 of Salipur AC, both the parties clashed 150 metres outside the booths. The presence of the candidate has aggravated the situation. The report of the attack with ‘paniki’ isn’t true. The report of booth capture is completely false,” said Cuttack DM on its official X handle.

In Booth No-184 & 185 of Salipur AC, both the parties clashed 150 mtrs outside the booths. Presence of the Candidate has aggravated the situation. The report of attack with “paniki” isn’t true. *The report of Booth capture is completely false.* @OdishaCeo@ECISVEEP

— Cuttack DM (@CuttackDM) June 1, 2024

Voting is underway for six Lok Sabha constituencies and 42 assembly segments of the state for the final phase of polling.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

The fourth phase of voting for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections begins today in 96 Lok Sabha constituencies across 10 states and Union Territories. A total of 1,717 candidates are in the fray in this phase. 

Polling is being 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.

Voting is also taking place in the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency and it is the first major election in Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. Voting is simultaneously be held in all 175 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh and 28 in Odisha in the fourth phase. 

More than 19 lakh polling officials have been deployed at 1.92 lakh polling stations for the over 17.70 crore eligible voters in this round. 

Prominent candidates in the fray are Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Union minister Giriraj Singh, TMC’s firebrand leader Mohua Moitra and AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury,  former cricketer Yusuf Pathan of TMC, Andhra Pradesh Congress president YS Sharmila among others. 

The Lok Sabha elections are being held across seven phases, from April 19 to June 1. The counting is scheduled for June 4.

Here are the LIVE updates on Phase 4 Voting:

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Lok Sabha Election Live Updates: 360 candidates contesting in Phase 4 have criminal cases against them

Phase 4 Lok Sabha Election: Breakup of Lok Sabha Elections Phase 4 electorate

Asaduddin Owaisi

The four-time MP from Hyderabad, AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi, is contesting from his family stronghold Hyderabad, which was represented by his father Salahuddin Owaisi for two decades, from 1984-2004. While the Congress and the Bharat Rashtra Samithi have fielded Mohammad Waliullah Sameer and Gaddam Srinivas Yadav from the seat, Mr Owaisi’s most-talked-about opponent is the BJP’s Kompella Madhavi Latha. 

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

Of the eight West Bengal seats going to polls in the third phase is Baharampur, the fort of Congress leader in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury. A five-time MP from the seat, Mr Chowdhury is known to hold considerable clout in the north Bengal constituency. This time, he is up against the BJP’s Nirmal Kumar Saha and Trinamool’s pick, former cricketer Yusuf Pathan.

Mahua Moitra

The firebrand Trinamool Congress leader, who was expelled as an MP last December in the cash-for-query case, is contesting again from West Bengal’s Krishnanagar, which elected her in the 2019 election. The seat has been with the Trinamool Congress since 2009.

Lok Sabha Election Phase 4 Voting Updates: Uttar Pradesh Minister Suresh Khanna casts his vote at a polling booth in Shahjahanpur.

INDIA Alliance has fielded SP’s Jyotsna Gond here. She faces BJP’s sitting MP and candidate Arun Kumar Sagar & BSP’s Dod Ram Verma. 

#WATCH | Uttar Pradesh Minister Suresh Khanna casts his vote at a polling booth in Shahjahanpur.

INDIA Alliance has fielded SP’s Jyotsna Gond here. She faces BJP’s sitting MP & candidate Arun Kumar Sagar & BSP’s Dod Ram Verma. #LokSabhaElections2024pic.twitter.com/fpFLtROJ11

– ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2024

Lok Sabha Election Live Updates: Union Minister and BJP candidate from Secunderabad Parliamentary constituency, G Kishan Reddy arrives at a polling booth to cast his vote.

He faces contests from Danam Nagender and BRS’ Theegulla Padma Rao. 

#WATCH | Telangana: Union Minister and BJP candidate from Secunderabad Parliamentary constituency, G Kishan Reddy arrives at a polling booth here to cast his vote. He faces contests from Danam Nagender and BRS’ Theegulla Padma Rao. #LokSabhaElections2024pic.twitter.com/N0v9anwinZ

– ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2024

Lok Sabha Election Live Updates: Voting begins in 96 Lok Sabha seats across 9 states, Jammu and Kashmir in 4th phase.

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Mock polling underway at polling booth no. 245 at Vivekananda Girls High School of Ichhalabad of the Durgapur Lok Sabha constituency

#WATCH | Bardhman, West Bengal: Mock polling underway at polling booth no. 245 at Vivekananda Girls High School of Ichhalabad of the Durgapur Lok Sabha constituency for #LokSabhaElections2024

BJP’s Dilip Ghosh, AITC’s Kirti Azad and Sukriti Ghoshal of CPI(M) are contesting from… pic.twitter.com/2uXWtUMa7y

– ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2024

Lok Sabha Election Phase 4 Voting Updates: Mock polling underway at polling booth no. 237 of Zila Parishad Boys High School, Kodangal of Mahbubnagar Lok Sabha Constituency

#WATCH | Mahabubnagar, Telangana: Mock polling underway at polling booth no. 237 of Zila Parishad Boys High School, Kodangal of Mahbubnagar Lok Sabha Constituency for the #LokSabhaElections2024

Congress’ Challa Vamshi Chand Reddy, BJP’s DK Aruna and BRS’ Manne Srinivas Reddy… pic.twitter.com/1TfOd7KDzb

– ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2024

Lok Sabha Election Live Updates: Mock poll starts at polling booth no 136 in Bhawanipatana Assembly Constituency and Kalahandi Lok Sabha Constituency.

#WATCH | Kalahandi, Odisha: Mock poll starts at polling booth no 136 in Bhawanipatana Assembly Constituency and Kalahandi Lok Sabha Constituency.

There are a total of 21 parliamentary constituencies and 147 assembly constituencies in the state. Voting will be held in 4… pic.twitter.com/gaXcqTgBNS

– ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2024

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Polling preparations are underway at the Kadapa Constituency’s Jayamahal Anganawadi Polling Booth No. 138 in Andhra Pradesh’s Kadapa.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will also cast his vote from the polling booth. 

Congress’s YS Sharmila from INDIA alliance, TDP’s Chadipiralla Bhupesh Subbarami Reddy from NDA, and YSRCP’s YS Avinash Reddy are contesting elections from this seat.

YSRCP’s YS Avinash Reddy is the sitting MP from Kadapa.

#WATCH | Kadapa, Andhra Pradesh: Polling preparations are underway at the Kadapa Constituency’s Jayamahal Anganawadi Polling Booth No. 138.

Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will also cast his vote from the polling booth.

Congress’s YS Sharmila from INDIA alliance, TDP’s… pic.twitter.com/WJXUiXSXOT

– ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2024

Prominent candidates in the fray are: 

• Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav
• Union minister Giriraj Singh, TMC’s firebrand leader Mohua Moitra 
• AIMIM’s Asaduddin Owaisi
• Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury
• Former cricketer Yusuf Pathan of TMC
• Andhra Pradesh Congress president YS Sharmila 

• The fourth phase of voting for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections will take place today in 96 Lok Sabha constituencies across 10 states and Union Territories. 
• A total of 1,717 candidates are in the fray in this phase. 
• Polling will be 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.
• Voting will also take place in the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency.
• More than 19 lakh polling officials have been deployed at 1.92 lakh polling stations for the over 17.70 crore eligible voters in this round.