The Lok Sabha elections are inching towards the climax with the sixth and penultimate phase on Saturday. Over 11.13 crore eligible voters, including 5.84 crore men, 5.29 crore women and 5,120 from the third gender, will seal the fate of 889 candidates across 58 seats.
Polling will be held in 14 seats in Uttar Pradesh, all 10 seats in Haryana, eight seats each in Bihar and West Bengal, all seven seats in Delhi, six seats in Odisha, four seats in Jharkhand and one seat in Jammu and Kashmir.
Forty-two assembly constituencies in Odisha will also go to the polls on Saturday.
Prominent candidates in the fray include the BJP's Dharmendra Pradhan, Maneka Gandhi, Sambit Patra, Manohar Lal Khattar and Manoj Tiwari, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and the Congress's Raj Babbar.
Speaking of the weather, the sixth phase comes amid a heat wave that has left large parts of the country reeling. The EC has directed poll officials to take measures to minimise the impact of the sweltering conditions.
The final phase of polling will be on June 1 for the remaining 57 seats, with the counting of votes scheduled for June 4.
AAP-Congress pact faces litmus test in Delhi
In Delhi, the AAP and Congress have come to a seat-sharing arrangement for the first time. While the AAP is contesting four seats, the Congress has fielded candidates in the remaining three. The BJP had won all seven seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Manoj Tiwari, who was an actor and singer in the Bhojpuri film industry before entering politics, is the only sitting MP from Delhi fielded by the BJP again.
'Maa Maneka Phir Ek Baar'?
BJP candidate from Sultanpur Maneka Gandhi is seeking her ninth term in the Lok Sabha. She has won six times from Pilibhit, once from Aonla and once from Sultanpur where she is the sitting MP. Maneka's campaign got a late boost after her son Varun Gandhi, who was denied a ticket by the BJP, campaigned for her on Thursday -- his first rally during the current general elections.
In Bengal it's Jangal Mahal's turn
In West Bengal, voting will be held in the Jangal Mahal region, spread across five districts and eight Lok Sabha constituencies including Tamluk, which will see a keenly-awaited contest between former Calcutta HC judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay of the BJP and Debangshu Bhattacharya of the TMC who composed the "Khela Hobe" song for the party ahead of the 2021 assembly elections.
Mehbooba battling for honour, PDP redemption
Polling for the Anantnag-Rajouri seat in Jammu and Kashmir -- where Mehbooba Mufti is contesting -- was postponed from the third phase to the sixth due to adverse weather.
Polling began on Saturday morning for six Lok Sabha constituencies and 42 assembly seats in Odisha amid tight security arrangements, an official said.
Voting started at 7 am in Sambalpur, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and Puri Lok Sabha seats along with 42 assembly segments that make up these Lok Sabha constituencies.
Polling will continue till 6 pm but in certain remote and critical booths voting will conclude earlier, the official said.
More than 94.48 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in 10,581 booths in the third round of simultaneous elections in the state.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) NB Dhal said that adequate arrangements for voters' convenience have been made in all booths.
A total of 35,000 security personnel and 70,000 polling personnel have been engaged in this round of twin polls in the state, he said.
More than two crore voters are eligible to cast votes to decide the fate of 223 candidates, including former chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, two Union ministers and Congress stalwart Kumari Selja, in the fray for the 10 Lok Sabha seats.
Among the early voters was former chief minister Khattar, the BJP's candidate from the Karnal Lok Sabha seat, who exercised his franchise at a booth in Karnal's Prem Nagar.
The polling began at 7 am in Tamluk, Kanthi, Ghatal, Jhargram, Medinipur, Purulia, Bankura, and Bishnupur constituencies.
Of the 79 candidates in the fray, Bankura and Jhargram have the highest number of 13 contestants each, followed by Purulia (12), and nine each in Medinipur and Tamluk, an official said.
Polling began on Saturday morning in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency where 20 candidates, including former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, are in the fray, officials said.
Voting began at 7 am for the last electoral battle of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in Jammu and Kashmir, they said.
People were seen lining up outside the polling stations to exercise their franchise in some areas of the constituency, according to the officials.
The constituency is spread over 18 assembly segments in the five districts of Kulgam, Anantnag, Poonch, Shopian, and Rajouri.
Voting for four Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand commenced on Saturday morning amid heavy security, officials said.
Polling began at 7 am in the constituencies of Giridih, Dhanbad, Ranchi, and Jamshedpur, and would continue till 5 pm, they said.
Ninety-three candidates are in the fray in this phase, which is third for the state and sixth nationwide.
Polling for the seven parliamentary constituencies in Delhi began on Saturday morning in the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha election amid tight security arrangements, an official said here.
The weather department has issued a "yellow alert" for the day and predicted that the mercury is likely to reach a maximum of 44 degrees Celsius.
The Delhi election department is making adequate preparations for voters because of the heat.
People were seen queuing outside polling stations even before the commencement of voting at 7 am.
Voting for the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha election, which will seal the fate of several high-profile candidates, including former Union minister Maneka Gandhi, began on Saturday in 14 seats of Uttar Pradesh.
The bypoll for the Gainsari assembly seat in Balrampur is also being held.
Chief Electoral Officer Navdeep Rinwa said 162 candidates, 146 men and 16 women, are in the fray from the parliamentary seats while seven hopefuls are contesting in Gainsari.
Voting began at 7 am and will end at 6 pm.
The candidates of all the major parties have been rigorously campaigning for the past 83 days, seeking votes for themselves. The city witnessed a unique election campaign that ended on Thursday evening.
Delhi has been reeling under a severe heatwave, which may hamper the spirit of the voters to exercise their franchise. To tackle this problem, the EC has made special arrangements at the polling booths to help voters.
A total of 162 candidates are in the fray, including Manoj Tiwari and Bansuri Swaraj of the BJP, Somnath Bharti and Kuldeep Kumar of the Aam Aadmi Party, and Kanhaiya Kumar and JP Agarwal of the Congress.
With 13,637 polling stations, including four auxiliary ones and 2,891 critical ones, 70 pink booths will also be set up, handled exclusively by women officials. Along with this, 70 model polling booths have been established for the voters.
Ravinder Raina cast his vote on Saturday in Rajouri and said that the 2024 elections are being celebrated in the Union Territory like a festival.
"In the Srinagar parliamentary seat, 40 per cent of voting took place, while in Baramulla in North Kashmir, 60 per cent of voting took place and today in Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary seat also there has been a long turnout since morning. This is the victory of our democracy...," Raina said.
"This area is close to LOC and here too people are coming out with full enthusiasm to vote," he added.
The festival of Indian democracy, the Lok Sabha elections are taking place, and there is an atmosphere of enthusiasm in the entire Jammu and Kashmir. The excitement for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections is going on like a festival in Jammu and Kashmir.
Ravinder Raina, JK BJP chief
Harsh Malhotra, cast his vote in Shahdara during the sixth phase of Lok Sabha polls in the national capital on Saturday.
He cast his vote at polling booth number 154 located in Gandhi Memorial Bharatiya Janata Party Candidate Harsh Malhotra from East Delhi Lok Sabha seat while exercising his democratic rights, casts his vote in the sixth phase of Lok Sabha polls. School, Shahdara, in East Delhi.
BJP candidate from the Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha seat, Praveen Khandelwal cast his vote on Saturday, at a polling station in Ashok Vihar, Delhi.
Khandelwal, facing off against Congress candidate JP Agarwal, highlighted the enthusiasm and excitement among voters.
"There is enthusiasm and there is excitement, and we are winning the election. We will win the Chandni Chowk seat with a record margin," Khandelwal said before casting his vote.
Responding to the Congress's claim of sweeping all seven seats in Delhi, Khandelwal remarked, "Everyone has the right to dream. I cannot stop anyone from dreaming."
I have full confidence, not just Rohtak seat but Congress and its alliance will win all the 10 seats in Haryana.
Manohar Lal Khattar, Former Haryana CM
Delhi Minister and AAP leader Atishi alleged that the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi VK Saxena, held a meeting with Delhi Police to slow down the voting process in areas which are strongholds of the INDIA bloc.
"We have received official information that last evening, LG had called a meeting of Delhi Police officials and instructions were given to Delhi Police that in all the areas which are strongholds of the INDIA alliance, voting should be slowed down in those areas. If this happens then it will be a violation of free and fair elections. So we hope that the Election Commission will take cognizance of this," Atishi alleged.
"I hope that the people of Delhi and the country will come out of their homes and vote despite the heat. Elections are a festival of democracy and it is the responsibility of every person to participate in it," she added.
A two-time MLA, Khattar, 70, is contesting in a parliamentary election for the first time. After Nayab Singh Saini took over as Haryana chief minister in March, the BJP announced Khattar’s Lok Sabha candidature from Karnal.
For Khattar, a lot is at stake. He not only has to win, but maintain a high victory margin. If sitting BJP MP Sanjay Bhatia created a high benchmark by bagging 70.08% votes, Bhatia’s predecessor Ashwani Kumar Chopra from the same party got 49.84% votes in 2014.
Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar and his wife Sudesh cast their votes in the Lok Sabha elections on Saturday.
Dhankhar reached the polling station at the CPWD service centre in Delhi's North Avenue to exercise his franchise.
He and his wife stood in queue and awaited their turn before casting their votes.
"Proud to cast my vote for Lok Sabha 2024 elections. Urge everyone to exercise their right to vote and fulfil their constitutional duty," he said in a post on X after casting his vote.
We are proud to be the world's largest democratic country. I want all the countrymen to cast their vote for the strengthening of democracy and for Viksit Bharat
Ram Nath Kovind, former president
Malfunctioning of EVM reported at booth no-258 in Keonjhar, booth no-122 in Nayapalli area and booth no-159 in Patrapada area of Bhubaneswar, booth no-82 in Deogarh, booth no-81 in Kalapada of Cuttack, booth no-149 in Talcher, booth no-13, 49 and 50 in Krushnaprasad of Puri district and booth no-157 in Dhenkanal.
Issues sorted out and EVMs are now working properly. Voting is going on smoothly.
Violence reported inside a polling booth under the Athagarh Assembly constituency in Odisha's Cuttack district with BJD and BJP workers resorting to a clash following the passing of comments and then leading to exchange of hot words in the presence of Agriculture Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain.
At least four persons from both the sides were injured in the clash which erupted while Swain had gone to cast his vote in the model polling station set up in his native Radhagovindpur gram panchayat.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik casted his votes in the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.
Patnaik exercised his voting right at the Aerodrome UP School in Bhubaneswar.
He requested all electorates, especially the young voters, to come out and vote, and exercise their democratic franchise.
When asked how confident he is about the poll prospects of BJD, Naveen said, "I expect BJD will have great victory both in the Assembly and Parliament elections. We will form a very stable government in the state again with the blessings of people and Lord Jagannath."
BJD star campaigner and 5T chairman VK Pandian cast his votes at Unit-VI in Bhubaneswar.
49.2% voter turnout recorded till 3 pm, in the 6th phase of elections.
Bihar- 45.21% Haryana- 46.26% Jammu & Kashmir- 44.41% Jharkhand- 54.34% Delhi- 44.58% Odisha- 48.44% Uttar Pradesh-43.95% West Bengal- 70.19%
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Altogether 52.24 per cent of 1.49 crore voters exercised their franchise in eight Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar till 5 pm on Saturday, officials said.
Voting began at 7 am in Valmiki Nagar, Pashchim Champaran, Purvi Champaran, Sheohar, Siwan, Gopalganj, Maharajganj and Vaishali constituencies and will continue till 6 pm, a senior official at the CEO office said.
A voter turnout of 56.11 per cent was recorded in Vaishali, 55.78 per cent in Purvi Champaran, 55.22 per cent in Paschim Champaran, 54.37 in Sheohar, 54.09 per cent in Valmiki Nagar, 49.15 per cent in Maharajganj, 47.49 per cent in Siwan and 46.77 in Gopalganj till 5 pm.
The constituencies where elections are underway are largely rural areas with only 1,281 of the total 14,872 polling stations located in urban localities, officials said.
West Bengal registered a voter turnout of 77.99 per cent till 5 pm in the eight Lok Sabha constituencies that went to polls in the sixth phase on Saturday, an official said.
Polling began at 7 am in Tamluk, Kanthi, Ghatal, Jhargram, Medinipur, Purulia, Bankura and Bishnupur constituencies.
It would continue till 6 pm.
Bishnupur (SC) recorded the highest polling at 81.47 per cent, followed by Tamluk 79.79 per cent, Jhargram (ST) 79.68 per cent, Ghatal 78.92 per cent, Medinipur 77.57 per cent, Bankura 76.79 per cent, Kanthi 75.66 per cent, and Purulia 74.09 per cent, he said.
Till 4 pm, the election office in West Bengal has received 1,985 complaints, he added.
