Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Over 62% voter turnout recorded in seventh phase of polls
New Delhi: Marking the end of the marathon process to elect a new Lok Sabha, at least 62% of voters exercised their franchise in the seventh and last phase of general elections on Saturday amid incidents of violence in West Bengal's Sandeshkhali, EVM glitches and allegations of rigging.
Polling was held in 57 seats spread across eight states and union territories, including in Varanasi from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was contesting. The polling for Odisha Assembly also got over along with the seventh phase while state polls for Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh got over earlier.
The counting of votes for all 543 Lok Sahha seats and state Assemblies of Andhra and Odisha will be held on June 4 while those of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh will be held on Sunday.
In Sandeshkhali, clashes broke out between Trinamool Congress and BJP supporters with BJP candidate Rekha Patra alleging that Trinamool workers stopped voters from casting their votes. The Trinamool claimed Patra and BJP workers tried to vitiate the poll atmosphere. In some other places also, there were clashes.
While Election Commission statement put the voter turnout in the final phase at 61.63 per cent at 11.45 PM midnight, the official Voter Turnout App at 12 midnight showed 62.36 per cent.
Among the states, according to the Voter Turnout App, West Bengal topped the list with 73.79 per cent followed by Odisha 70.67 per cent, Jharkhand 70.66 per cent, Himachal Pradesh 70.07 per cent, Chandigarh 67.90 per cent and Punjab 61.32 per cent.
The least was in Bihar where 51.92 per cent people voted while other lowest turnout states were Uttar Pradesh 55.59 per cent. In Varanasi, the polling was 56.34 per cent.
Voting was held in all 13 seats of Punjab and four of Himachal Pradesh, 13 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, nine in West Bengal, eight in Bihar, six in Odisha and three in Jharkhand, besides Chandigarh. Polling for the remaining 42 assembly constituencies in Odisha and bypolls to six assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh also took place simultaneously.
The turnout in the first six phases of the general election was 66.14 per cent, 66.71 per cent, 65.68 per cent, 69.16 per cent, 62.2 per cent and 63.36 per cent respectively. Till six phases, around 66 per cent people have voted.
"Indian voters have given their most cherished right to vote for the constitution of the 18th Lok Sabha. Indian democracy and Indian elections have again done the magic. The great Indian voters, irrespective of their caste, creed, religion, socio-economic and educational background have done it once again," the Election Commission said in a statement.
With the poll concluding, BJP chief JP Nadda claimed that his party will win over 370 seats and the NDA more than 400 and said people have voted for a capable, powerful, developed and self-reliant India and to put aside appeasement, nepotism and corruption.
After a meeting of I.N.D.I.A. parties, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on the other hand said the bloc will win "nothing less than 295" while Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal claimed BJP will be reduced to 220 and NDA to 235.
Besides Modi, the other prominent candidates include West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew and Trinamool General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad's daughter Misa Bharti, actor Kangana Ranaut and Union Minister Anurag Thakur.
Phase 7
States/UTs: 8
Total Voters: 10.06 crore
Seats: 57
-- Gen:41; SC:13; ST:3
Candidates: 904
Women Candidates: 95
Turnout at 12 midnight – 62.36%
West Bengal – 73.79%
Odisha – 70.67%
Jharkhand – 70.66%
Himachal Pradesh – 70.07%
Chandigarh – 67.90%
Punjab – 61.32%
Uttar Pradesh – 55.59%
Bihar – 51.92%
PM’s Constituency
Varanasi – 56.34%
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