NEW DELHI: The first phase of voting for 102 parliamentary constituencies spread over 21 states and Union Territories was held on Friday with a voter turnout of nearly 64 per cent. The estimated voter turnout was recorded at 63.89 per cent till 9 pm on Thursday in the first phase of polling.
According to an official release, the voting percentage is likely to go up when reports from all polling stations are obtained, as polling was scheduled until 6 pm in many constituencies. Also, voters who reached the polling stations until the end of polling hours were allowed to cast their vote. “Final figures will be known on Saturday after the scrutiny of Form 17A”, the release said.
As polling concluded, Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked the people who voted in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections. “First phase, great response! Thank you to all those who have voted today. Getting EXCELLENT feedback from today’s voting. It’s clear that people across India are voting for NDA in record numbers”, PM Modi said in post on X.
The Elections Commission of India (ECI) also said that the first phase of polling was “largely peaceful across 21 States and Union Territories”. However, a few areas in West Bengal and Manipur witnessed sporadic incidents of violence and firing. The ECI said the polling for the first phase of the 2024 general elections recorded a high voter turnout despite the heat wave.
As per estimated voter turnout data, Tripura recorded the highest turnout at around 80.17 per cent, followed by West Bengal at 77.57 per cent. Sikkim recorded around 69.47 per voter turnout. The voting concluded at 6 pm in 102 Lok Sabha constituencies.
Polling was held in 21 states and Union Territories in the first phase. These are — Arunachal Pradesh (two seats), Assam (five), Bihar (four), Chhattisgarh (one), Madhya Pradesh (six), Maharashtra (five), Manipur (two), Meghalaya (two), Mizoram (one), Nagaland (one), Rajasthan (12), Sikkim (one), Tamil Nadu (39), Tripura (one), Uttar Pradesh (eight), Uttarakhand (five), West Bengal (three), Andaman and Nicobar (one), Jammu and Kashmir (one), Lakshadweep (one) and Puducherry (one).
Andaman and Nicobar recorded 56.87 per cent, Arunachal Pradesh (67.15 per cent), Assam (72.10 per cent), Bihar (48.50 per cent), Chhattisgarh (63.41 per cent), Jammu and Kashmir (65.08 per cent), Lakshadweep (59.02 per cent), Madhya Pradesh (64.21 per cent), Maharashtra (55.35 per cent), Manipur (69.13 per cent), Meghalaya (74.38 per cent), Mizoram (54.23 per cent), Nagaland (56.91 per cent), Puducherry (73.50 per cent), Rajasthan (56.58 percent), Sikkim (69.47 per cent), Tamil Nadu (65.19 per cent), Tripura (80.17 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (58.49 per cent), Uttarakhand (54.06 per cent), and West Bengal (77.57 per cent), as per the estimated voter turnout data.
Meanwhile, a firing incident and clashes were also reported at a polling booth in Moirangkampu Sajeb Awang Leikai of Imphal during voting on Friday. One civilian was injured after the firing and clashes were reported at a polling booth in Moirangkampu Sajeb Awang Leikai of Imphal, Manipur, during voting in the Lok Sabha elections on Friday.
Block Level Officer for Moirangkampu, Sajeb Surbala Devi, said, “Suddenly two men came here and asked for polling agents of the Congress and the BJP. They took the Congress agent outside by holding his hand. Then the two men fired shots from inside the car. One person got injured.”
The first phase has the highest number of parliamentary constituencies among all phases. The Lok Sabha polls will be held in India in seven phases, starting from April 19 to June 1 to elect the 543 members of the 18th Lok Sabha. The results will be announced on June 4.
The second phase will be held on April 26 and the remaining phases will be May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1 accordingly. The last general elections in 2019 were also held in seven phases. (ANI)