India is voting in the last phase to decide the fate of 904 candidates competing for 57 seats as the staggered election that started in April comes to a close.

Till 9 am, the approximate polling percentage was 11.31%, according to the Election Commission's (EC) voter-turnout app.

During this seventh phase, voters in 57 constituencies across eight states and Union territories will cast their votes. Polling will be held on 13 seats each in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, nine seats in West Bengal, eight in Bihar, six in Odisha, all four seats in Himachal Pradesh, three seats in Jharkhand and one seat in Chandigarh.

In Himachal’s Mandi, BJP’s Kangana Ranaut makes her electoral debut, as she faces Vikramaditya Singh of Congress.

In Chandigarh, BJP’s Sanjay Tandon, stands against Congress nominee and former Union minister Manish Tewari, backed by AAP.

In Bihar's Pataliputra, RJD fields Lalu Prasad Yadav's eldest daughter Misa Bharti against BJP candidate Ram Kripal Yadav, who joined the party ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, and has won twice before.

Polling for the remaining 42 assembly constituencies of Odisha will also be held today. A total of 904 candidates are contesting in these 57 constituencies. Several key seats including Varanasi, from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking his third re-election, will go to the polls in this phase. The Election Commission of India has made adequate arrangements for polling in the seventh phase. Voting has been held on 486 Lok Sabha seats in the previous six phases.

The turnout in the first six phases was 66.14%, 66.71%, 65.68%, 69.16%, 62.2% and 63.36% respectively — an overall low compared to 2019.

Source: Times of India 

BDST: 1138 HRS, JUN 01, 2024
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