Lok Sabha Phase 1 Voting Highlights: 62% Polling Logged, PM Modi Hails 'Great Response' As He Thanks Voters
Lok Sabha Election Phase 1 Highlights 2024: Please follow this space and refresh the page for all the latest updates pertaining to the phase 1 of the Lok Sabha Elections.
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Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 1 Voting Highlights: Please follow this space and refresh the page for all the latest updates pertaining to phase 1 of the Lok Sabha Elections.
The high-octane Lok Sabha elections kicked off today, with 102 seats across 21 states and Union Territories going to polls in the first phase. As the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), spearheaded by Prime Minister Modi, aims for a reinforced majority and a consecutive third term in Centre, the Opposition coalition under the banner of I.N.D.I.A is striving for a resurgence following setbacks in the 2014 and 2019 elections.
In the first phase of Lok Sabha election 2024, voting began for all Lok Sabha constituencies in Tamil Nadu (39), Uttarakhand (5), Arunachal Pradesh (2), Meghalaya (2), Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1), Mizoram (1), Nagaland (1), Puducherry (1), Sikkim (1), and Lakshadweep (1). Additionally, polling is being conducted for 12 seats in Rajasthan, eight in Uttar Pradesh, six in Madhya Pradesh, five each in Assam and Maharashtra, four in Bihar, three in West Bengal, two in Manipur, and one seat each in Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir, and Chhattisgarh.
Among the states participating in the first phase, is Tamil Nadu, where Dravidian stalwarts and the Congress face a formidable challenge from a resurgent BJP led by the state chief, K Annamalai.
The first LS Polls Phase-1 electoral battle features prominent leaders such as Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Sarbananda Sonowal, Congress's Gaurav Gogoi, DMK's Kanimozhi, and BJP's K Annamalai. Additionally, seven Union Ministers, including Bhupendra Yadav, Kiren Rijiju, Sanjeev Baliyan, Jitendra Singh, Arjun Ram Meghwal, L Murugan, and Nisith Pramanik, are vying for victory in the first phase. Notable contestants also include former chief ministers Biplab Kumar Deb (Tripura) and Nabam Tuki (Arunachal Pradesh), along with Tamilisai Soundararajan, who relinquished her role as Telangana's governor to re-enter active politics, contesting from Chennai South on a BJP ticket.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar emphasised the importance of each vote, urging citizens to exercise their franchise. He highlighted the significance of elections as a cornerstone of India's democratic fabric, stressing the unparalleled value of the voting process.
A total of 16.63 crore people are eligible to cast their votes in the first phase, including 35.67 lakh first-time voters and 3.51 crore young voters aged between 20 to 29 years. Polling will take place from 7 am to 6 pm, with the electorate comprising 8.4 crore men, 8.23 crore women, and 11,371 individuals identifying as the third gender.
Lok Sabha Phase 1 Voting Live: PM Modi hails 'First phase, great response' as he claims 'record numbers' for NDA
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the BJP has received a "great response" in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections. "Getting EXCELLENT feedback from today’s voting. It’s clear that people across India are voting for NDA in record numbers," he posted on X.
First phase, great response! Thank you to all those who have voted today.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 19, 2024
Getting EXCELLENT feedback from today’s voting. It’s clear that people across India are voting for NDA in record numbers.
Lok Sabha Phase 1 Voting Live: 62.37% polling logged, Final figures to be revealed on Saturday
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. Some of the constituencies were different then and the total number of seats which went to polls were 91.States, including Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territories of Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep completed their voting process on Friday in single-phase election. (PTI)
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