NEW DELHI, June 1: The seventh and final phase of the general election commenced on Saturday, with polling taking place in 57 constituencies across seven states and the Union Territory of Chandigarh. This phase includes Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third consecutive term in the Lok Sabha.
Polling is being conducted in all 13 seats of Punjab and four in Himachal Pradesh, alongside 13 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, nine in West Bengal, eight in Bihar, six in Odisha, and three in Jharkhand, as well as in Chandigarh. Simultaneously, voting is underway for the remaining 42 Assembly constituencies in Odisha and bypolls for six Assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh.
By 9 am, the approximate voter turnout was 11.31 per cent, as per the Election Commission’s (EC) voter-turnout app. Jharkhand reported a turnout of nearly 12.15 per cent, Uttar Pradesh 12.94 per cent, West Bengal 12.63 per cent, Bihar 10.58 per cent, and Himachal Pradesh 14.35 per cent. Punjab recorded a voter turnout of 9.64 per cent, while Chandigarh registered 11.64 per cent. Odisha saw around 7.69 per cent voting by 9 am.
Polling began at 7 am, with voters queuing up at polling booths early in the morning despite severe heatwave conditions in many parts of the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi encouraged citizens to vote, urging them to make democracy “more vibrant and participative.”
“Today is the final phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. As 57 seats across 8 states and UTs go to the polls, I call upon the voters to turn out in large numbers and vote. I hope young and women voters exercise their franchise in record numbers,” Modi posted on X.
Prominent candidates among the 904 in the fray include Union minister Anurag Thakur, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew Abhishek Banerjee, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad’s daughter Misa Bharti, and actor Kangana Ranaut. Over 10.06 crore citizens, including nearly 5.24 crore men, 4.82 crore women, and 3,574 third-gender electors, are eligible to vote in this phase.
Saturday’s voting concludes the marathon polling process that began on April 19. Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Sikkim assemblies also went to polls. Vote counting will occur on June 4, with Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim’s Assembly polls counted on June 2.
Per EC guidelines, television channels and news outlets can release exit poll data and results after 6:30 pm. The Commission has urged voters to participate in large numbers and vote with responsibility and pride. The voter turnout in the first six phases 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.
The final phase of campaigning, which ended Thursday evening, saw BJP leaders, led by Modi, accusing the Congress and the INDIA opposition bloc of corruption, anti-Hindu sentiments, and dynastic politics. The opposition parties countered by claiming the BJP is anti-farmer, anti-youth, and intends to alter the Constitution if victorious.
In Bihar, polling is underway in eight Lok Sabha constituencies and the Agiaon Assembly seat bypoll, with Union ministers R K Singh and Ravi Shankar Prasad among the contestants. Jharkhand’s Dumka, Rajmahal, and Godda seats are also voting, with significant attention on Dumka, where BJP’s Sita Soren faces INDIA bloc’s Nalin Soren.
Polling is occurring for six Lok Sabha and 42 Assembly seats in Odisha, with notable candidates including Assembly Speaker Pramila Mallik and BJP national vice-president Baijayant Panda. In West Bengal, voting is taking place in nine constituencies, with heavyweight candidates like TMC’s Sudip Bandyopadhyay and BJP’s Debasree Chaudhuri.
In Uttar Pradesh, which sends the most members to the Lok Sabha, polling is underway in 13 constituencies. In Punjab, the Congress and AAP are contesting separately, while BJP and SAD are competing independently for the first time since 1996.
Polling is also happening in Himachal Pradesh’s four Lok Sabha and six Assembly constituencies, with BJP’s Kangana Ranaut contesting against Congress’s Vikramaditya Singh in Mandi.
Voting concludes at 6 pm, except in Jharkhand, where it ends at 5 pm.
