19 Apr 2024 | 03:07pm IST
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Phase 1 polling begins today
102 LS constituencies ,16.63 CR crore voters , 2 lakh polling stations
Team Herald
Today, voting started in 21 states and Union territories for the 18th Lok Sabha elections. By 1pm, around 40% of voters had cast their votes across these areas. Seats in various states like Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and others are up for voting today. Although the speed of voting was slow in the morning, by 1 pm the average voting was 40 %. If this pace continues, more than 65% voter turnout is expected by the end of polling time in the evening.
Over 16.63 crore voters, including more than 8 crore men and women each, will vote at nearly 2 lakh polling stations.In the last elections, UPA won 45 out of 102 seats, while NDA won 41, with six seats being redrawn due to delimitation.
Several Union ministers like Nitin Gadkari, Bhupendra Yadav, and others, along with candidates from different parties like Congress's Gaurav Gogoi and BJP's K Annamalai, are contesting in this phase. The BJP-led NDA seeks to strengthen its majority, while the opposition INDIA bloc hopes for a comeback.
