Lok Sabha Election 2024: First Phase of Polling in India Sees Over 62% Turnout Across 21 States, UTs

New Delhi: India on Friday witnessed the first phase of voting for the mega political battle Lok Sabha Elections 2024, which is slated to take place in 7 phases. The voting for the first phase concluded with around 62.37 per cent voter turnout across 21 states and the Union Territories (UTs) for 102 Lok Sabha seats. The Lok Sabha elections 2024, which has been billed by the ruling BJP as a journey towards PM Modi’s vision of 2047 and the Opposition as a battle for survival of the democracy, on Friday kickstarted with a tentative figure of 62.37 per cent voter turnout till 9 pm.

Surprisingly, the second highest voter turnout during polling under phase 1 was recorded in West Bengal at around 77.57 percent, while Bihar witnessed the lowest turnout at 48.50 percent till 9 pm. Tripura, meanwhile, recorded the highest turnout of 80.91 per cent.

During the first phase, voting took place across 21 States and UTs including all 39 seats of Tamil Nadu, 12 seats of Rajasthan, 8 seats of Uttar Pradesh, 6 seats of Madhya Pradesh, 5 seats each in Assam, Maharashtra and Uttarakhand, 4 in Bihar, 3 West Bengal, 2 seats each in Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur and Meghalaya, 1 seat each of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Mizoram, Nagaland, Puducherry, Sikkim, Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir, Chhattisgarh and Lakshadweep.

First phase, great response: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a shout out to the voters after the conclusion of the first phase of voting for turning out in large numbers to exercise their fundamental right and choose their government. PM Modi took to X to thank the voters of the country saying, “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.”

Polling was largely peaceful: ECI

India recorded this big turnout during the first phase, amid sporadic incidents of violence at place in West Bengal and Manipur, wherein violence, vandalism of EVM machines and firing incidents were reported. Not only this, an accidental explosion of a grenade launcher shell occurred in Chhattisgarh that left a CRPF jawan dead.

Apart from these places, the first and the biggest phase of polling was "largely peaceful” the Election Commission of India stated. Voters braved the heat in most parts while at some places, they waited patiently in pouring rain as the world's largest poll exercise got underway at 7 am.

The National Democratic alliance (NDA) under Prime Minister Modi is seeking a stronger majority for a third consecutive term, while the constituents of the opposition INDIA bloc are hoping for a rebound after facing reverses in the 2014 and 2019 elections.

Assembly elections also held simultaneously in Arunachal and Sikkim

Tripura recorded the highest turnout of 80.17 per cent, followed by West Bengal at 77.57, Meghalaya 74.21 per cent, Puducherry 73.50 per cent, and Assam 72.10. Voters in six districts of eastern Nagaland stayed indoors following an indefinite shutdown call by an apex body of tribal organisations to press for its demand for a separate state.

Tamil Nadu, where the BJP is trying to make inroads, was among the seven states and three Union territories where polling was held for all the seats.

Assembly elections were also held simultaneously in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.

The tentative figure at 9 pm of voter turnout of 62.37 per cent is likely to go upwards when reports from all polling stations are obtained, the EC said, adding voters reaching polling stations till the end of polling hour are allowed to cast their vote.

Among the voters were first-timers, many newly-wed couples who came in their traditional attires, physically-challenged people and some elderly persons carried on stretchers and wheelchairs.

Minor EVM glitches were reported at some booths in Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Assam.

Violence reported in West Bengal, Manipur

In West Bengal, polling was marred by violence in the Cooch Behar seat. TMC and BJP workers clashed with each other and lodged 80 and 39 complaints respectively related to poll violence, voter intimidation, and assault on poll agents, sources from both parties said.

In strife-torn Manipur, an impressive turnout of 69.13 per cent was recorded. Wangkhem in Thoubal district had the highest turnout among the 32 assembly constituencies under Inner Manipur at 82.41 per cent. In Outer Manipur, Chandel, which has both Naga and Kuki voters, recorded the highest turnout at 85.54 per cent.

Incidents of shooting and intimidation were reported from several places in Inner Manipur seat, officials said.

Armed men fired several rounds in the air near a polling booth in Thamnapokpi under Moirang assembly constituency in Bishnupur district, prompting voters to flee, police said, adding additional security personnel were rushed to the spot to control the situation.

Polling remained largely peaceful in other states

In Chhattisgarh, 63.41 per cent voters cast their votes in the Naxal-hit Bastar Lok Sabha constituency where the CRPF jawan after the grenade accidentally went off while an officer was injured in an IED blast in another incident.

For the first time in a Lok Sabha election, voters in 56 villages in Bastar cast their vote in a polling booth set up in their own village.

In Tamil Nadu, where polling is spread over 39 constituencies, a voting percentage of over 65.19 was recorded.

Voting was delayed by an hour in some polling booths in the state such as the one near Tambaram due to technical glitches in the electronic voting machines.

Arunachal Pradesh saw 67.15 per cent of the total 8,92,694 voters exercising their franchise.Though the turnout was moderate in the morning hours due to inclement weather, it gathered momentum with weather conditions improving.

In a few polling stations in the state, polling was delayed as the electronic voting machines (EVMs) developed technical snags which were later replaced, Chief Electoral Officer Pawan Kumar Sain said.

Supporters of two candidates clashed near a polling station in the Bameng constituency in East Kameng district, Inspector General of Police (Law & Order) Chukhu Apa said, adding the situation was brought under control and polling is continuing.

Incidents of EVM damage were also reported from three polling stations in East Kameng, Kurung Kumey and Upper Subansiri districts, the police officer said.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands saw a voting percentage of 56.87 per cent.There were some minor EVM glitches but it was addressed immediately, officials said.

For the first time in the Union territory, seven members of the Shompen tribe, a particularly vulnerable tribal group of Great Nicobar Islands voted for the lone Lok Sabha seat.

Assam also reported EVM malfunctioning at three polling booths of Bihpuria in Lakhimpur, one each in Hojai, Kaliabor and Bokakhat, and one in Naharkatia of Dibrugarh, an official said.

"Most of the glitches were noticed during the mock poll, which started 90 minutes before the commencement of actual voting. Those glitches were rectified immediately. Voting started sometime late in those booths and now it is going smoothly," an official said.

A vehicle carrying an EVM partially sank into a river after water level rose suddenly, washing away a mechanised boat that was ferrying the SUV in Lakhimpur constituency. The driver and the polling officer of the vehicle managed to get out before water gushed into the vehicle.

Bihar recorded lowest turnout

Around 48.50 per cent of the 75 lakh voters in four Lok Sabha constituencies of Bihar exercised their franchise.

Braving incessant rains, 65.08 per cent of voters exercised their choice in the first six hours of polling in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur parliamentary constituency.

In Rajasthan, 56.58 per cent voting took place while Uttarakhand saw 54.06 per cent polling.

In Maharashtra, a voter turnout of 55.35 per cent was recorded while the six Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh recorded a voter turnout of 64.77 per cent.

Uttar Pradesh witnessed 58.49 per cent voting, Mizoram 54.23, Nagaland 56.91 and Sikkim 69.47.

Over 16.63 crore people are eligible to vote in this phase. In the first phase, there are 35.67 lakh first time voters, besides 3.51 crore young voters in the age group of 20-29 years.

Counting of votes in the elections that will conclude on June one will be taken up on June 4.

Among the prominent candidates in the fray in the first phase are Union ministers Nitin Gadkari and Sarbananda Sonowal, Gaurav Gogoi of Congress and DMK's Kanimozhi.

Besides Tamil Nadu, polling is being held for all seats of Uttarakhand (5), Arunachal Pradesh (2), Meghalaya (2), Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1), Mizoram (1), Nagaland (1), Puducherry (1), Sikkim (1) and Lakshadweep (1).

Voting was also held in 12 seats of Rajasthan, eight in Uttar Pradesh, six in Madhya Pradesh, five seats each in Assam and Maharashtra, four in Bihar, three in West Bengal, two in Manipur, and one seat each in Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir and Chhattisgarh.

Simultaneously, assembly elections were held in Arunachal Pradesh (60 seats) and Sikkim (32 seats).

The Election Commission has deployed over 18 lakh polling personnel across 1.87 lakh polling stations.