Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Live Updates: Nearly 60% Voter Turnout Till 5 PM In Phase 1 Lok Sabha Polls

First phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Today marks the commencement of the first phase of voting for the 18th Lok Sabha elections across 21 states and Union territories. By 5 pm, an impressive 60% voter turnout was reported across these regions.

The states and territories participating in this phase include Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry.

A staggering 16.63 crore voters, comprising over 8 crore men and women each, are expected to exercise their franchise at approximately 2 lakh polling stations.

Prominent figures contesting in this phase include Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Bhupendra Yadav, Kiren Rijiju, Jitendra Singh, Arjun Ram Meghwal, and Sarbananda Sonowal. Additionally, Gaurav Gogoi from Congress, Kanimozhi from DMK, and K Annamalai, BJP’s Tamil Nadu chief, are also vying for victory today.

The BJP-led NDA aims to secure a robust majority, while the opposition INDIA bloc is hopeful for a resurgence. In the previous elections in 2019, the UPA secured victory in 45 out of the 102 seats contested on Friday, while the NDA won 41. Notably, six of these seats have been redrawn due to the delimitation exercise.

The general elections to elect 543 members of the 18th Lok Sabha will span seven phases, running from April 19 to June 1. The much-awaited results are scheduled to be announced on June 4.