Today marks the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, with polling underway across 96 parliamentary constituencies in nine states and one Union Territory. The voting commenced at 7 am and will conclude at 6 pm.
As of 3 pm, the Election Commission of India reported a 52.60% voter turnout across the 10 states where elections are held. Notable turnouts include West Bengal at 66.05%, Madhya Pradesh at 59.63%, and Jharkhand at 56.42%.
In a significant development, the Srinagar seat in Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing elections for the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Despite challenges, the constituency recorded a turnout of 29.93% till 3 pm, a notable increase from the 2019 turnout of 14.43%.
The voting phase encompasses 25 seats in Andhra Pradesh, 17 seats in Telangana, and varying numbers in other states such as Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Jammu and Kashmir. Prominent personalities like Allu Arjun, Jr NTR, and Chiranjeevi were among the early voters.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens, particularly the youth and women, to exercise their voting rights to strengthen democracy. The fate of 379 constituencies will be decided post this phase, with the previous phase witnessing a 65.68% turnout, slightly lower than the 2019 elections.
Andhra Pradesh – 55.49%
Bihar 45.23%
Jammu and Kashmir – 29.93%
Jharkhand – 56.42%
Madhya Pradesh – 59.63%
Maharashtra – 48.35%
Odisha – 52.91%
Telangana – 52.34%
Uttar Pradesh – 48.41%
West Bengal – 66.05%
Key Figures and Candidates
Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed confidence in the BJP’s performance, stating that the party and its allies have already secured over 190 seats and are eyeing a target of 400+ out of the 543 total seats.
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Notably, 1,717 candidates are contesting in this phase, including prominent figures like Akhilesh Yadav, Mahua Moitra, Yusuf Pathan, Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary, Giriraj Singh, YS Sharmila, Arjun Munda, Shatrughan Sinha, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, and Asaduddin Owaisi.
Over 17.7 crore eligible voters, including a significant number of elderly voters above 85 years, are participating in this phase, with an equal gender distribution. To ensure smooth polling, over 19 lakh polling officials have been deployed across 1.92 lakh polling stations.
Simultaneous Legislative Elections
In addition to the Lok Sabha polls, voting is also underway for all 175 seats of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly and 28 out of 147 seats of the Odisha Legislative Assembly. This dual electoral process aims to streamline the democratic exercise and maximize participation.
Upcoming Phases and Counting
The remaining 3 phases of polling are scheduled for May 20, May 25, and June 1, with the counting of votes slated for June 4. The BJP-led NDA, seeking a third consecutive term under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has set an ambitious target of winning 400 seats, while the opposition parties, led by the Congress under the INDIA bloc, present a formidable challenge.
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