The first phase of polling for the 91 Lok Sabha constituencies which are spread across 18 states and two Union Territories, began in full swing on Thursday morning.
The constituencies going to polls in phase 1 are – eight in Uttar Pradesh, five in Uttarakhand, four in Bihar, seven in Maharashtra, five in Assam, four in Odisha, two each in Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya and West Bengal, and one each in Chhattisgarh, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Sikkim, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.
As of 9 am, 21% voter turnout has been recorded in the Nagaland parliament constituency. Over 14 crore voters will decide the fate of 1279 candidates who are in the fray. More than 1 lakh polling booths have been set up across the country, the EC said in a statement issued on Wednesday. It also mentioned that 7764 third gender voters will exercise their franchise in the first phase.
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“It’s a humble appeal that more and more people should come and cast their votes so that the bedrock of democracy strengthens. Our efforts will be fructified if each one of us who is an elector shows adequate zeal and faith in the democratic system,” Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora told ANI.
Elaborate security arrangements have been put in place for the Lok Sabha elections and tight vigil is being maintained at interstate borders.
The voting for Lok Sabha polls will take place in seven phases – April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29, May 6, May 12 and May 19. Counting of votes will be done on May 23.
(With inputs from ANI)