NEW DELHI, June 1:
The marathon polling process to elect the 18th Lok Sabha ended on Saturday with the seventh phase of elections witnessing an approximate voter turnout of more than 62 per cent but was marred by incidents of violence between TMC and BJP supporters in Sandeshkhali region and some other parts of West Bengal.
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Polling was conducted in seven States and the Union Territory of Chandigarh for 57 constituencies, including Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third consecutive term in the Lok Sabha.
Voting for the last phase was held amid a severe heatwave in all 13 seats of Punjab and four of Himachal Pradesh, 13 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, nine in West Bengal, eight in Bihar, six in Odisha and three in Jharkhand, besides Chandigarh. Polling for the remaining 42 assembly constituencies in Odisha and bypolls to six assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh also took place simultaneously.
Saturday’s voting marked the end of the seven-phase polling that began on April 19. The assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim also went to polls. The BJP-led NDA is seeking a rare consecutive third term in office. The Opposition INDIA bloc is trying to upset the NDA applecart by putting up a joint fight in some States.
According to the EC’s voter-turnout app at 10.45 pm, the estimated polling percentage in the last phase was 60.37.
A voter turnout of 70.01 per cent was recorded in Jharkhand. Uttar Pradesh logged a polling percentage of 55.60, West Bengal 70.03, Bihar 51.70 and Himachal Pradesh 68.78.
Punjab recorded a voter turnout of 56.44 per cent while Chandigarh registered a voting percentage of 67.90. Odisha recorded around 68.72 per cent voting.
The turnout in the first six phases of the general election 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 poll panel had called upon voters to turn out in greater numbers and vote with responsibility and pride.
After polling ended on Saturday, the EC thanked the Indian voters, saying it was “deeply humbled” by them making it to polling stations overcoming many challenges and dilemmas.
“Indian voters have given their most cherished right to vote for the constitution of the 18th Lok Sabha. Indian democracy and Indian elections have again done the magic. The great Indian voters, irrespective of their caste, creed, religion, socio-economic and educational background have done it once again,” the poll watchdog said in a statement.
In Bengal’s Sandeshkhali, clashes broke out between TMC and BJP supporters over allegations of electoral malpractices. BJP candidate Rekha Patra alleged that TMC goons stopped voters from casting their votes. The TMC made counter-allegations and accused Patra and BJP goons of trying to vitiate the poll atmosphere.
As both groups came to blows on the Basanti Express highway, police resorted to baton charge and tear gas shelling to disperse the mob.
Basirhat SP Hossain Mehedi Rahaman said three persons were injured during the clash between TMC and BJP supporters at Bayramari in Sandeshkhali, adding that one person was arrested in this connection.
TMC and BJP workers also clashed in some parts of Jadavpur and Diamond Harbour constituencies.
Clashes broke out between supporters of the TMC, Indian Secular Front (ISF) and BJP in Jadavpur as the parties alleged that their polling agents were stopped from entering booths.
A confrontation erupted in Bhangar within the Jadavpur constituency between TMC and ISF supporters, with allegations of crude bombs being hurled from both sides.
Police intervention ensued, triggering protests as both factions accused each other.
To control the situation, security personnel resorted to baton charge and seized several crude bombs.
Other prominent candidates among the 904 in the fray are 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.
More than 10.06 crore citizens, including nearly 5.24 crore men, 4.82 crore women and 3,574 third-gender electors, were eligible to vote in this phase.
Polling was held in eight Lok Sabha constituencies of Bihar, along with the bypoll to the Agiaon Assembly seat. Union Minister R K Singh and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad are among the contestants in the fray.
The Dumka, Rajmahal and Godda seats in Jharkhand went to polls in this phase. All eyes are on Dumka, where the BJP’s Sita Soren, the sister-in-law of jailed former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren, is contesting against the INDIA bloc’s Nalin Soren. Sita Soren, a three-term former Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) legislator, joined the BJP just ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
Polling was also held for six Lok Sabha and 42 assembly seats in Odisha.
Assembly Speaker Pramila Mallik, the Government’s chief whip Prashant Muduli, Odisha BJP chief Manmohan Samal and BJP national vice-president Baijayant Panda are among the candidates in the fray. (PTI)
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