Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 1 Voting Highlights: Nearly 60 per cent polling was reported till 5 pm in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Friday, the Election Commission said. Polling took place in 102 constituencies across 21 states and Union Territories. While voting began at 7 am simultaneously in all constituencies and continued till 6 pm in most of the seats.
This first phase election involves over 16.63 crore eligible voters, including 35.67 lakh first-time voters and 3.51 crore young voters aged 20-29 years. The counting of votes will commence on June 4, following the elections concluding on June 1. Polling is being conducted for all seats 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, voting is underway 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. Simultaneously, assembly elections are being held in Arunachal Pradesh (60 seats) and Sikkim (32 seats). The Election Commission has deployed over 18 lakh polling personnel across 1.87 lakh polling stations.
Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 1 Voting Live Updates: Polling for the first phase is underway in 102 constituencies spread across 21 states and Union territories. Follow Financial Express Online for all live updates and latest coverage.
Polling ends in all 39 Lok Sabha constituencies in Tamil Nadu.
West Bengal recorded the highest turnout till 5 PM at 77.57 per cent, followed by Tripura at 76.10 per cent.
Voter turnout in Assam stood at 70.77 per cent, while Manipur recorded a voter turnout of 68.58 per cent till 5 PM.
AMMK General Secretary TTV Dhinakaran casts his vote in Lok Sabha elections, in Adyar in Chennai. Speaking to reporters, he said, "We are also Amma's followers. People understand this and will vote for us...This time NDA will win in many constituencies in Tamil Nadu."
AIMIM supremo and candidate from Hyderabad constituency, Asaduddin Owaisi on Friday filed nomination for Lok Sabha elections.
Following is the voter turnout as of 3 pm, according to the Election Commission data, across 21 states where voting is taking place in the first phase of elections:
Arunachal Pradesh: 55.48%
Andaman: 45.48%
Assam: 60.70%
Bihar: 39.73%
Chhattisgarh: 58.14%
Jammu & Kashmir: 57.09%
Lakshadweep: 43.98%
Madhya Pradesh: 53.40%
Maharashtra: 44.12%
Manipur: 63.03%
Meghalaya: 61.95%
Mizoram: 49.77%
Nagaland: 52.35%
Puducherry: 58.86%
Rajasthan: 41.51%
Sikkim: 52.72%
Tamil Nadu: 51.10%
Tripura: 68.35%
UP: 47.44%
Uttarakhand: 45.62%
West Bengal: 66.34%
Following is the voter turnout as of 11 am, according to the Election Commission data, across 21 states where voting is taking place in the first phase of elections:
Arunachal Pradesh: 39.24%
Andaman: 35.70%
Assam: 45.12%
Bihar: 32.41%
Chhattisgarh: 42.57%
Jammu & Kashmir: 43.11%
Lakshadweep: 29.91%
Madhya Pradesh: 44.43%
Maharashtra: 32.36%
Manipur: 46.92%
Meghalaya: 48.91%
Mizoram: 40.37%
Nagaland: 44.64%
Puducherry: 44.95%
Rajasthan: 33.73%
Sikkim: 36.82%
Tamil Nadu: 39.51%
Tripura: 53.04%
UP: 36.96%
Uttarakhand: 37.33%
West Bengal: 50.96%
Union Minister and BJP candidate from Cooch Behar Lok Sabha constituency Nisith Pramanik cast his vote in the first phase of the Lok Sabha polls amid allegations of poll violence by the ruling Trinamool Congress.
Speaking to reporters after voting, Nisith Pramanik said, "TMC is trying to prevent people from reaching the booths. The fear of losing is visible in TMC's eyes. People are fully prepared to oppose TMC goons. People will definitely respond to the violence through their votes," he said.
Following is the voter turnout as of 11 am, according to the Election Commission data, across 21 states where voting is taking place in the first phase of elections:
Arunachal Pradesh: 20.82%
Andaman: 21.82%
Assam: 27.22%
Bihar: 20.42%
Chhattisgarh: 28.12%
Jammu & Kashmir: 22.60%
Lakshadweep: 16.33%
Madhya Pradesh: 30.46%
Maharashtra: 19.17%
Manipur: 29.61%
Meghalaya: 33.12%
Mizoram: 28.78%
Nagaland: 26.69%
Puducherry: 28.10%
Rajasthan: 22.59%
Sikkim: 21.20%
Tamil Nadu: 23.87%
Tripura: 34.54%
UP: 25.20%
Uttarakhand: 24.83%
West Bengal: 33.56%
Tamil Nadu minister and DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin along with his wife cast a vote at a polling booth in Chennai on Friday.
In the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took to X to encourage voters to exercise their franchise.
Rahul Gandhi wrote on X, "Remember, each of your votes is going to decide the future of Indian democracy and the coming generations. So come out and strengthen democracy by applying the balm of your vote to the wounds inflicted on the soul of the nation in the last 10 years. Defeat hatred and open Mohabbat ki Dukaan (shop of love) in every corner."
Actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief Kamal Haasan cast his vote at a polling booth in Koyambedu, Chennai, on Friday.
Even though his political party, Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), is not contesting the Lok Sabha elections, the party has supported and campaigned for Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).
Following is the voter turnout, according to the Election Commission data, across 21 states where voting is taking place in the first phase of elections:
Arunachal Pradesh: 4.95%
Andaman: 8.64%
Assam: 11.15%
Bihar: 9.23%
Chhattisgarh: 12.02%
Jammu & Kashmir: 10.43%
Lakshadweep: 5.59%
Madhya Pradesh: 14.12%
Maharashtra: 6.98%
Manipur: 7.63%
Meghalaya: 12.96%
Mizoram: 9.36%
Nagaland: 7.79%
Puducherry: 7.49%
Rajasthan: 10.67%
Sikkim: 6.63%
Tamil Nadu: 8.21%
Tripura: 13.62%
UP: 12.22%
Uttarakhand: 10.41%
West Bengal: 15.9%
With voting underway on eight seats in Uttar Pradesh in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections, 12.66 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 9 am on Friday, according to the poll body data.
With voting underway at all the 39 Lok Sabha seats of Tamil Nadu, the voter turnout was recorded at 8.42 per cent till 9 am, according to the Election Commission (EC) data. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, BJP state chief Annamalai, and several other MPs and actors, including Rajinikanth, have cast their votes during the early hours of polling.
Violence erupted in Cooch Behar, West Bengal, as reports surfaced about stone pelting at polling booths. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) alleged a "brutal attack" on its party workers by the BJP workers on Thursday. It further claimed that the BJP leaders pelted crude country-made bombs at polling booths, severely injuring block president Anant Kumar Barman.
Taking to its official handle on X, TMC said, "Under the reign of BJP MP Nisith Pramanik, Cooch Behar has devolved into a breeding ground for violence. Despite our repeated calls and warnings about the Union MoS sheltering criminals and hoarding firearms at his residence, the ECI chose to look the other way."
"Yesterday's brutal attack on our party workers by BJP goons has been followed by another ambush today. BJP leaders Ratan Burman, Ajeet Mahanto and Hiren Mahanto pelted crude country-made bombs in booth number 232 and 231 of Bhetaguri-I, Dinhata, severely injuring our block president Anant Kumar Barman," TMC further added.
The party also slammed the Election Commission (EC) for its "failure to rein in such flagrant hooliganism only emboldens BJP's thuggery."
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The BJP candidate from the Pauri Garhwal constituency in Uttarakhand, Anil Baluni, made a shocking prediction and said, "Congress is not going to get even 30 seats in this election and it is going to drop to its lowest level in this election."
Baluni was nominated by the BJP in place of former Uttarakhand CM Tirath Singh Rawat from the Pauri Garhwal seat. He is in a high-stakes battle against former PCC president Ganesh Godiyal.
102 Lok Sabha constituencies are up for grabs in the first phase of the 2024 general elections. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, as many as 49 of the 102 seats, including 38 in Tamil Nadu, were won by parties that are now a part of the Opposition's INDIA alliance.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies, including parties in the North-East, had won 48 seats. Three were won by the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and one each by the AIADMK and the then undivided Shiv Sena.
After exercising his franchise, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said, "There is great enthusiasm...I would like to appeal to you today that this is a festival of democracy - do cast your vote. Your votes will strengthen our democracy, our country...I would like to tell you that Rajasthan will repeat the history of 2014 and 2019 - I am confident."
After exercising his franchise, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said, "I am proud to cast my vote. All voters should vote."
Rajasthan Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore on Friday said, "The message is that it is voters build a nation and this election is not a small election. It is an election of the largest democracy in the world. It is the country that is the fifth largest economy in the world and will soon become the third largest economy. It is a decisive election, that is going to make us a developed country with 'Modi Guarantee'..."
The Trinamool Congress took to its official handle on X and wrote, “BJP has turned the festival of democracy into the MURDER of democracy. Our BLAs were viciously attacked by BJP goons in booth 226 and 227 of Barokodali GP, Alipurduar. Central Forces stood idly by and watched them unleash violence. We have been attracting EC's attention to BJP's criminal underbelly but alas they refused to act. And now our workers are having to bear the brunt of their inaction!”
As the voting began for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections and simultaneously for Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the voters to cast their franchise in large numbers.
He took to X and said, "The 2024 Lok Sabha elections commence today! As 102 seats across 21 States and UTs go to the polls, I urge all those voting in these seats to exercise their franchise in record numbers. I particularly call upon the young and first time voters to vote in large numbers. After all, every vote counts and every voice matters!"
In addition to the Lok Sabha elections, assembly elections will also be conducted in Arunachal Pradesh, with 60 seats, and Sikkim, with 32 seats. In the previous 2019 elections, the UPA emerged victorious in 45 out of the 102 seats contested, while the NDA secured 41 seats. However, six of these seats have undergone redrawn boundaries as part of the delimitation exercise.