During phase 1 of the general elections in Uttarakhand, all five Lok Sabha seats went to the polls. The Election Commission shared data revealing a voter turnout of 53.56% by 5 pm. Polling stations, numbering 11,729, opened at 7 am and were scheduled to close at 5 pm, as stated by Additional Chief Electoral Officer Vijay Kumar Jogdande.
A total of 55 candidates, representing various political parties, contested for the Lok Sabha seats in the state. With over 83 lakh registered voters, the fate of these candidates rests in the hands of the electorate.
The Election Commission’s data showcased varying voter turnout across the constituencies. Nainital Lok Sabha seat recorded the highest percentage, exceeding 40%, by 3 pm, while Almora saw the lowest at just over 38%. The voting percentages for the other constituencies were: 38.43% in Almora, 42.12% in Garhwal, 49.62% in Haridwar, 49.94% in Nainital Udham Singh Nagar, and 43.61% in Tehri.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), aiming for a consecutive victory following its clean sweep in the previous two general elections, faces competition from the Congress, which seeks to regain political ground in the state.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami encouraged citizens to participate actively in the electoral process, emphasizing the importance of voting and electing a strong government at the Centre.
Among those exercising their franchise was Vinay Shankar Pandey, the chief minister’s secretary and Garhwal Division Commissioner, who voted along with his family at Sanatan Dharma Inter College in Dehradun.
While the BJP emerged victorious in all five Lok Sabha seats in both the 2014 and 2019 general elections, it secured the highest number of seats in the 2022 assembly elections, winning 47 out of 70. The Congress trailed behind with 19 seats, while the BSP and Independents each secured 2 seats.
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The general elections for 2024 began on Friday, covering 102 parliamentary constituencies across 21 states and Union Territories in the first phase. Subsequent phases are scheduled for April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1, following the pattern of the previous general elections held in 2019.
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