Marathon Polling Ends As Voting Concludes For Last Phase Of Lok Sabha Elections 2024; Over To Counting Day

Lok Sabha elections 2024: The 7th phase saw voting in 57 parliamentary constituencies across 8 states and union territories. The counting of votes will take place on June 4.

Voters show their fingers marked with indelible ink after casting vote during the seventh and last phase of the Lok Sabha elections. ( Image Source :PTI Images )

Lok Sabha elections 2024: The final phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 concluded today at 6 PM, marking the end of the world's largest polling exercise that had begun on April 19. The seventh phase saw voting in 57 parliamentary constituencies across eight states and union territories. Voting had commenced at 7 am. The counting of votes is scheduled to be held on June 4, which will determine the final outcome of the elections. 

In this phase, the constituencies where voting took place included 13 seats in Uttar Pradesh, nine in West Bengal, eight in Bihar, four in Himachal Pradesh, and six in Odisha. Additionally, single seats were contested in Chandigarh and three in Jharkhand. Simultaneously, polling occurred in 42 Assembly constituencies of Odisha. The total turnout figure, according to EC, was recorded at 58.34 till 5 PM. Take a look at the state-wise figures below:  

Voter Turnout Till 5 PM

State/UT	Turnout (%)
Bihar	48.86
Chandigarh	62.80
Himachal Pradesh	66.56
Jharkhand	67.95
Odisha	62.46
Punjab	55.20
Uttar Pradesh	54.00
West Bengal	69.89

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking a third consecutive term from Varanasi, was one of the key candidates among the 904 contestants in this phase. Other notable candidates included Union Minister Anurag Thakur, Lalu Prasad Yadav's daughter Misa Bharti, actor Kangana Ranaut, Mamata Banerjee's nephew Abhishek Banerjee, and Bhojpuri singer Pawan Singh. 

READ | Odisha Elections 2024: Naveen Patnaik-Ruled State Gears Up For Final Phase In BJD's Coastal Stronghold

To ensure a smooth voting process, approximately 10.9 lakh polling officials were deployed across 1.09 lakh polling stations in the eight states and Union Territories. Over 10.06 crore citizens were eligible to vote in this phase, comprising nearly 5.24 crore men, 4.82 crore women, and 3,574 third-gender electors. Additionally, the Home Voting facility was available for voters aged 85 and above and persons with disabilities (PwD). 

The Election Commission of India (ECI) ensured that basic amenities such as drinking water, shade, ramps, and toilets were provided at the polling stations to create a comfortable and secure environment for voters. 

The voter turnout for the first six phases was 66.14%, 66.71%, 65.68%, 69.16%, 62.2%, and 63.36%, respectively.