Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live Updates: Highest voter turnout in Himachal Pradesh at 48.63% till 1 pm

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live Updates: Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate Ferozepur Rajesh Dhiman on Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) candidate who made a self-video of casting vote says, “A case has come before us where BSP candidate Surinder Kamboj made a video of himself casting his vote. FIR has been registered against him for violation of rules. We urge all candidates to follow the rules and the law…Voting in the constituency is being conducted peacefully.”

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live Updates: Overall voter turnout during Phase 7 of polling in the general election across 57 constituencies has been recorded at 40.09 per cent as of 1 pm.

The highest voter turnout so far has been recorded in Himachal Pradesh with 48.63 per cent as of 1 pm, where four constituencies are undervoting, while the lowest has been recorded in Bihar with 35.65 per cent, where eight constituencies are undervoting.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live Updates: AAP MP Raghav Chadha arrives in Delhi after voting in Punjab earlier today. He is set to attend the scheduled INDIA bloc meeting.

He says, “A meeting of top leaders of the INDIA bloc has been convened at the residence of Mallikarjun Kharge today. AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and all of us from the party will participate in that gathering.”

North 24 Parganas, West Bengal: Rekha Patra, the BJP Lok Sabha Candidate from Basirhat, showed her inked finger on Saturday after voting in the general election during the seventh phase of voting.

She says, “I feel gratified after casting my vote. This vote represents the struggles of all the mothers and sisters and serves to bolster the leadership of PM Modi. There was a TMC representative present inside the polling booth, attempting to disrupt proceedings, as they are perturbed by their inability to manipulate the elections this time… The Lotus will flourish (in Sandeshkhali).”

TMC has nominated Haji Nurul Islam as their candidate from Basirhat.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live Updates: In Punjab’s Majithia, Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia, accompanied by his wife, cast their votes at a polling booth in Majithia village within the Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency on Saturday during seventh phase of voting for general election

SAD has nominated Anil Joshi, BJP has put forward Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Congress has fielded Gurjeet Singh Aujla, and AAP has nominated Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal.

On clash during Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal today, BJP leader & MP Dilip Ghosh tells ANI: “…TMC is doing all this due to fear of losing, but voting will be completed.”

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate and actress Kangana Ranaut cast her vote in the seventh phase of the Lok Sabha election on Saturday, and exuded confidence that the party will sweep all the four seats in Himachal Pradesh. Ranaut, who is BJP’s candidate from Mandi, said that there is a complete “Modi wave” in the state. Know more.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live Updates: Rajya Sabha MP and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RLD) leader Manoj Jha says, “People are voting for their identity on social and economic issues. No matter what sponsored exit polls say today evening, when results will come on June 4, the INDIA alliance will be in a strong position to form the govt… As Tejashwi Yadav also says, we have all respect for Nitish Kumar but a few things like the people around him, bureaucrats, a few political leaders and the image that we have seen, him with a symbol of Lotus, Bihar won’t accept that helplessness. Possibilities are there that after June 4, a few things will happen that are not in the people’s mind as of now.”

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live Updates: Overall voter turnout during Phase 7 of polling in the general election across 57 constituencies has been recorded at 26.03 per cent as of 11 am.

The highest voter turnout so far has been recorded in Himachal Pradesh with 31.92 per cent, where four constituencies are under voting, while the lowest has been recorded in Odisha with 22.64 per cent, where 13 constituencies are under voting.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live Updates: Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu exercises his vote at a polling station in Hamirpur during the seventh phase of the general election.

In four parliamentary constituencies, including Mandi, where actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut is running as a BJP candidate against Congress’s Vikramaditya Singh.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live Updates: Congress candidate for the Mandi Lok Sabha seat, Vikramaditya Singh, expresses, “We have received a highly positive response from the residents of Mandi. This victory will belong to the 14 lakh people of Mandi, not just to Vikramaditya Singh. I urge everyone to turn out in large numbers and cast their votes.”

BJP candidate Kangana Ranaut is running against Vikramaditya Singh in the Mandi constituency.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live Updates: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal cast her vote on Saturday during the final phase of voting.

She states, “I urge all voters to exercise their right to vote. We must oppose the entities attempting to undermine democracy and strive for a robust democracy in India… Our agenda has consistently focused on communal harmony, peace, and progress.”

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live Updates: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal casts his vote at a polling booth in Badal village within the Firozpur Lok Sabha constituency.

After exercising his franchise Sukhbir Singh Badal says “Today, the competition is between national parties and the party representing the people of Punjab. Therefore, the party representing the people will emerge victorious. I urge the people to come out and vote.”

SAD has nominated Nardev Singh Bobby Mann for this seat. BJP has put forward Gurmit Singh Sodhi, Congress has fielded Sher Singh Ghubaya, and AAP has nominated Jagdeep Singh Kaka Brar.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live Updates: Odisha’s BJD candidate Rajashree Mallick from Jagatsinghpur seat cast her vote on Saturday during the final voting phase.

“I participated today in the festival of democracy. It makes me happy to see how peacefully everything’s being done here. I appeal to everyone to come and vote,” says Rajashree Mallick after casting her vote.

Lok Sabha Elections 2024: TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee criticises PM Modi’s three-day meditation in Kanyakumari, stating, “While meditation is a personal right, it can be practised indoors. Transforming it into a media spectacle is unbecoming of a prime minister’s stature.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who commenced his meditation inside the Vivekananda Rock Memorial in Tamil Nadu’s Kanyakumari on May 30, continued for the second consecutive day on Friday. Engaged in a 45-hour meditation, he is set to conclude on June 1 afternoon. Modi’s meditation attire includes saffron clothes, holy ash, and vermillion on his forehead, as seen in the initial images released on Friday.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live Updates: In Punjab, BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh and his family members display the indelible ink marks on their fingers after casting their votes at a polling booth in Amritsar.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live Updates: Overall voter turnout during Phase 7 of polling in the general election across 57 constituencies has been recorded at 11.31 percent as of 9 am.

The highest voter turnout so far has been recorded in Himachal Pradesh with 14.35 per cent, where four constituencies are under voting, while the lowest has been recorded in Odisha with 7.69 per cent, where 13 constituencies are under voting.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live: UP Congress chief and candidate for the Varanasi seat, Ajay Rai, showed his inked finger after casting his vote for the seventh phase of the general election.

In the face-off, he contends against Prime Minister and BJP candidate Narendra Modi, as well as BSP’s Ather Jamal Lari.

Rai says “The public decides everything. The Prime Minister had lost earlier too, and ‘Banaras ka laal’ had defeated him. With the blessings of Baba Vishwanath and the people of Kashi, I will win. The love of Kashi is with me…”

He added, “It will be all about Vocal for Local. People will prioritise the local. Someone who doesn’t know his lanes, his soil, a show-off son of Maa Ganga who is meditating by the seashore — if you have to do it, do it on the banks of River Ganga…”

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Live: In Himachal Pradesh, BJP candidate for the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency, Kangana Ranaut, exercises her franchise at a polling station in Mandi during the seventh and final phase of the general election.

“I have cast my vote right now. I want to appeal to the people to take part in the festival of democracy and exercise their right to vote. PM Modi’s wave is there in Himachal Pradesh…I hope the people of Mandi will bless me and we will get all four state seats… Himachal Pradesh’s 4 seats will contribute to ‘400 paar’,” she said.

Regarding the competition, Congress has nominated Vikramaditya Singh for the Mandi Lok Sabha seat.

Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 7 Live: As voting is underway for the final phase of the general election, Delhi chief minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal says, “In this great festival of democracy, the country will vote in the last phase today. All of you are requested to exercise your right to vote in large numbers to protect democracy and the Constitution. Go to vote yourself and take your neighbours along with you. Dictatorship will lose, democracy will win.”

Lok Sabha Elections LIVE: Renowned Hindustani classical singer and Padma awardee Pandit Chhannulal Mishra, during the final phase of polling for the general elections on Saturday, urged the public to cast their vote ‘for the country’.

“I urge everyone to cast their vote…This is for the entire country…There is a difference between the Kashi which was there before and the Kashi which is there now. This has transformed, it is all due to PM Modi…More should be done for music. Music is the heritage of our country, the identity of Banaras,” he said.

Lok Sabha Elections LIVE: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and his wife, Gurpreet Kaur, cast their votes at a polling booth in the Sangrur constituency.

The seat is witnessing a competition between Congress’ Sukhpal Singh Khaira, BJP’s Arvind Khanna, AAP’s Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, SAD’s Iqbal Singh Jhundan, and Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar)’s Simranjit Singh Mann.

Lok Sabha Elections LIVE: Bharatiya Janata Party leader and actor Mithun Chakraborty cast his vote in the final phase of the Lok Sabha polls on Saturday.

He exercised his franchise at a polling booth in West Bengal’s Belgachia.

Speaking to ANI, he said, “I am a BJP cadre, and I have fulfilled my duty. From tomorrow, I will resume discussions about films as I have to support my family as well.”

Lok Sabha Elections LIVE: As the Gorakhpur Lok Sabha constituency undergoes voting during the final phase, actor and BJP candidate Ravi Kishan appealed to voters to exercise their vote.

“Humble greetings, namaste, and pranaam to all the voters of Gorakhpur. Friends, you all will be aware that today voting is being held in Gorakhpur under the seventh phase of Lok Sabha general elections. On this occasion, I humbly request all of you, the God-like voters who are the destiny makers of Gorakhpur, to exercise your right to vote in this great festival of democracy by discharging your duty as aware voters. Each and every vote of yours is important and will decide the future of your Lok Sabha and the country. Therefore, I once again appeal to all of you to participate enthusiastically in this festival of democracy,” he wrote on X.

Lok Sabha Elections LIVE: Sikkim Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya casts his vote for the final phase of the general election at a polling station in Ramnagar, Varanasi.

He said, “I am pleased to participate in this festival of democracy. I believe that voting is not only a right enshrined in the constitution but also a responsibility, and everyone should fulfil their duty and exercise this right…”

In this constituency, where PM Modi is the incumbent MP and BJP candidate, the Congress has nominated its state president, Ajay Rai.

Lok Sabha Elections LIVE: Former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, and their daughter Rohini Acharya cast their votes at a polling booth set up at Veterinary College in Bihar capital Patna.

“I have dedicated my vote to the sisters of Manipur,” states RJD leader Rohini Acharya after casting her vote.

Lok Sabha Elections LIVE: In Punjab, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, a Congress candidate from the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency, cast his vote for the general election during the final phase.

Randhawa says, “I trust voters. They don’t see parties but who will work for them, who will fight their battle and who will raise the voice of Punjab in the parliament.”

The Gurdaspur constituency is witnessing a triangular contest between Congress’ Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, BJP’s Dinesh Singh, and AAP’s Amansher Singh.

Lok Sabha Elections LIVE: Chandigarh BJP candidate Sanjay Tandon and his family cast their votes at a polling booth in Sector 18, Chandigarh, on Saturday during the final voting phase of the general elections.

BJP candidate Sanjay Tandon stated, “We tried to reach every area of the city, and we organised our programmes in many areas, but still, I feel that there must be many people I could not reach. I appeal to everyone to vote for the betterment of Chandigarh, vote for the democracy of the country, vote to take the country forward, vote to make Narendra Modi the Prime Minister again. And I assure you that the work that has not been done in the last 50 years, I will get it done in 5 years…”

Congress has nominated Manish Tewari as their candidate from Chandigarh.

Lok Sabha Elections LIVE: Former Indian cricketer and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh voted at a polling booth in Pubjab’s Jalandhar.

“Today is a very important day for all of us, and I would appeal to everyone to come out and vote foand elect a government that can work for you,” he said.

Voting in all the 13 parliamentary constituencies of Punjab is underway today, during the final phase of the general elections.

Lok Sabha Election Phase 7 LIVE Updates: After casting his vote, Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party president and Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar says, “I want to appeal to the people to come out of their houses and cast their vote for a better future of people.”

He cast his vote in Ballia today during the final voting phase of thegeneral elections.

Lok Sabha Election Phase 7 LIVE Updates: In Punjab, former diplomat and BJP candidate from the Amritsar constituency, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, cast his vote at a local polling booth.

He is competing against Congress MP and candidate Gurjeet Singh Aujla, AAP’s Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, and SAD’s Anil Joshi.

Lok Sabha Election Phase 7 LIVE Updates: Sikkim Governor Laxman Acharya, along with his wife, cast a vote at the Ramnagar polling booth in Uttar Pradesh’s Varanasi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in the fray as a BJP candidate from Varanasi during this phase.

Lok Sabha Election Phase 7 LIVE Updates: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha showed his inked finger to the media after casting his vote at a polling station in Lakhnaur, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar under the Anandpur Sahib constituency in Punjab, during the seventh and final phase of the general elections.

Lok Sabha Election Phase 7 LIVE Updates: Entering its final phase, the Lok Sabha elections will feature a notable contest at the crucial Varanasi seat, where 1,997,577 voters will determine the fate of seven candidates, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Voting has commenced.

Lok Sabha Election Phase 7 LIVE Updates: BJP National President JP Nadda and his wife Mallika Nadda cast their votes at a polling booth in Himachal Pradesh’s Bilaspur.

After voting, Nadda said, “I was the first voter here (in his booth). I appeal to all voters to vote in large numbers for a capable and self-reliant India. I urge voters to vote and contribute towards making India a capable, self-reliant and developed India…I consider this a festival of democracy.”

Lok Sabha Election Phase 7 LIVE Updates: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi cast his vote in Gorakhpur’s Gorakhnath, where BJP’s Ravi Kishan, SP’s Kajal Nishad, and BSP’s Javed Ashraf are contesting.

A total of 13 parliamentary seats out of 80 are under-voting during the seventh and final phase of the general elections today.

Voting will continue until 6 pm

“Today is the final phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. As 57 seats across 8 states and UTs go to the polls, calling upon the voters to turnout in large numbers and vote. I hope young and women voters exercise their franchise in record numbers. Together, let’s make our democracy more vibrant and participative,” tweets PM Modi

Voting begins across 57 constituencies

BJP national president JP Nadda along with his wife Mallika Nadda offer prayers at a temple near his residence, in Bilaspur, ahead of casting their votes in the seventh phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam(DMK)has written to the Election Commission of India reiterating the postal ballot vote counting procedure and urged the EC to ensure that the procedure in the EC rulebook is followed.

DMK’s complaint on Friday comes after the Comissioner of Corporation of Chennai asked to count the postal ballots at the end. DMK alleged that this will cause “confusion” for the counting agents.

As per the Conduct of Election Rules 1961, the procedure that is followed for the counting of postal ballots is that the postal ballots alone should be counted first. This includes both Electronically Transmitted Postal Ballot System(ETPBS) and ordinary postal ballot votes. Only after 30 minutes of the counting should the EVM votes be counted. Then, the final counting of EVMs should not take place until the postal ballot votes result is declared.

DMK has told the EC that while it has “no doubt” about the above procedures and that the ECI will follow these rules, the the procedure announced by Corporation of Chennai is “not correct” and “causes considerable confusion in the minds of counting agents.”

With the world’s largest democracy’s elections set to conclude on June 4, the Lok Sabha Secretariat has readied itself to extend a warm welcome to the Members of the Eighteenth Lok Sabha. A comprehensive array of arrangements has been put in place to facilitate a seamless induction process for the newly elected MPs immediately following the announcement of election results.

Secretary-General of Lok Sabha Utpal Kumar Singh on Friday said,”We are fully prepared to welcome the Members of the 18th Lok Sabha and ensure a seamless registration process. Our goal is to minimize paperwork and streamline procedures to save valuable time for our Hon’ble MPs.”

The Secretariat has been trained to closely monitor the results on June 4 and add the names of newly elected MPs to the Lok Sabha system. The secretariat said that it would also be able to monitor whether the winning MPs are a first timer or a re-elected MP and the information would be shared with Liaison Officers (Los) through software application to make further data entry of their tour programs.

It further said that LOs from the same region/language as that of the MP will be deployed to facilitate members and ensure faster communication.

13 Lok Sabha seats, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Varanasi, will go to polls in the last and seventh phase of the general elections on Saturday, June 1. Polling in the state, which sends 80 members to the Lower House of Parliament, was held in all seven phases of the election.

Voting will begin from 7 am and go on till 6 pm. Campaigning for the 13 seats in Uttar Pradesh ended on Thursday evening.

Apart from Varanasi, the other parliamentary seats where polling will take place are: Maharajganj, Gorakhpur, Kushinagar, Deoria, Bansgaon (SC), Ghosi, Salempur, Ballia, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Mirzapur and Robertsganj (SC)