60 pc polling in first phase of Lok Sabha polls till 7 pm; Tripura, West Bengal witness high voter turnout

New Delhi [India], April 19 (ANI): India saw its first phase of voting for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 on Friday, where an aggregate 60.03 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 7 pm. Whereas a few areas in West Bengal and Manipur witnessed spordic incidents of violence and firing incidents.
Meanwhile, the Elections Commission of India said that the first phase of polling was "largely peaceful across 21 States and Union Territories."
Tripura recorded the highest turnout at around 80.46 per cent, followed by West Bengal at 77,57 per cent. In Tamil Nadu, where all 39 Lok Sabha seats went to the polls, the voting percentage was 67 per cent. In Uttarakhand, where polling was held on all five parliamentary seats, the voting percentage was 54.50 per cent. The voting concluded by 6 pm in 102 Lok Sabha constituencies.
The Election Commission said the polling for the first phase of the General Elections 2024 recorded a high voter turnout despite the heat wave.
Of the 102 seats going to the polls on Friday, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance had won 43 seats and parties in the INDIA bloc 48 seats in 2019 election. While the BJP-led NDA is seeking third consecutive term in office under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the INDIA bloc is hoping to oust it from power.
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).
According to the Election Commission, Arunachal Pradesh recorded 67.49 per cent, Assam (72.27 per cent), Chhattisgarh (63.78 per cent), Jammu and Kashmir (65.08 per cent), Madhya Pradesh (66.42 per cent) Manipur (69.18 per cent), Meghalaya (74.38 per cent), Mizoram (54.35 per cent), Nagaland (56.91 per cent), Puducherry (73.76 per cent), Sikkim (73.91 per cent).
While Uttar Pradesh recorded 58.97 per cent voter turnout.
The polling percentage was relatively low in Bihar (48.50 per cent), Andaman and Nicobar islands recorded (63.99 per cent), Lakshadweep (59.02 per cent), Maharashtra (57.40 per cent), Rajasthan (57.26 per cent).
As Tripura recorded the highest turnout, INDIA bloc in Tripura has asked the Election Commission to countermand the polls of West Tripura Lok Sabha constituency and Ramnagar assembly constituency in the state, citing large scale instances of poll manipulation through booth jamming, intimidation and proxy voting.
The opposition alliance, comprising eight political parties with CPIM and Congress being the dominant forces, held a joint press briefing shortly after the polls were over and requested the Election Commission to countermand the polls and conduct fresh elections in the presence of adequate security measures.
Voting for India's parliamentary election, the largest democratic exercise in the world, began at 7 am with the Election Commission urging people to exercise their franchise in maximum numbers.
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 posted on X.
A firing incident and clashes were also reported at a polling booth in Moirangkampu Sajeb Awang Leikai of Imphal during.
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."
On the alleged stone pelting incident in West Medinipur, BJP candidate from Medinipur Lok Sabha, Agnimitra Paul, said that in the three hours of polling, 198 complaints are registered with the Election Commission.
"In the first three hours of polling, 198 complaints are registered with the Election Commission, most of which are against the police. No one is trying to control the deteriorating law and order situation... We all saw how Nishith Pramanik was attacked in Coochbehar. The police need to control the law and order in the state, but Mamata's police are absolutely inactive... If bombs are being recovered from parts of the state, does Mamata Banerjee and her police not know about this? Where it came from, who planted it, they know everything," Agnimitra Paul said.
Moreover, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari asserted that the three constituencies of Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri, witnessed a high voter turnout and we are pretty confident.
"The 3 constituencies of Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri, witnessed high voter turnout and we are pretty confident that after the First phase, the score in West Bengal is:- The People of West Bengal are with you, Hon'ble PM Shri @narendramodi Ji. Lotus will bloom across the State," he posted on X.
The voting for the remaining 13 segments of Outer Manipur will be held in the second phase on April 26.
In Andaman and Nicobar Islands, voters belonging to the tribal communities came out in large numbers. The Shompen tribe of Great Nicobar made history by casting their votes for the first time in the 2024 general elections. In Mizoram, an elderly couple reaffirmed their vow to vote together. In Arunachal Pradesh, an elderly woman trekked to the polling station on her own volition, despite having a home voting facility.
Voters braved the heat in most parts of the country, while in others, voters waited patiently in the pouring rain. The assured minimum facilities guaranteed by the ECI at every polling station were of immense support to them.
In a seven phase general election in 2024, 102 parliamentary constituencies across 21 States and UTs went to the polls today. States including Uttarakhand, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territories of Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep completed their voting process.
The Election Commission, is working strenuously to ensure a smooth, transparent, and inclusive electoral process in the subsequent phases of General Elections 2024.
The first phase has the highest number of parliamentary constituencies among all phases.
An estimated 8.4 crore male voters, 8.23 crore female voters and 11,371 third gender electors are eligible to vote in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls.
The Lok Sabha polls will be held in India in seven phases, 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)