Lok Sabha elections: 4th phase records over 62% voter turnout till 5pm | Latest News India

In the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections, the voter turnout was over 62 per cent in 96 constituencies across 10 states and union territories till 5 pm on Monday. West Bengal recorded the highest turnout with 75.66%, followed by Madhya Pradesh with 68.01%. Jammu and Kashmir and Maharashtra lagged behind with voter turnout of 35.75% and 52.49% respectively.

Among other states, Andhra Pradesh had 68.04 per cent, Bihar 54.14 per cent, Jharkhand 63.14 per cent, Odisha 62.96 per cent, Telangana 61.16 per cent and Uttar Pradesh 56.35 per cent.

Voting began at 7 a.m. and will continue until 6 p.m.

Voting was largely peaceful, although some incidents of violence were reported in Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. There were also reports that EVMs were out of order at some booths in West Bengal and Odisha.

TDP and YSRCP have exchanged allegations of violence against each other in the state, particularly in Palnadu, Kadapa and Annamaya districts. YSRCP accused the TDP of violating voting regulations and occupying polling booths in various constituencies. Meanwhile, the TDP alleged that YSRCP personnel damaged vehicles belonging to candidates and assaulted their agents. YSRCP MLA Tenali, Shiva Kumar allegedly slapped a voter after an altercation broke out over the MP jumping the queue, after which the voter returned in kind.

In Telangana state, Bharatiya Janata Party candidate K. Madhavi Lata, who is challenging AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi from Hyderabad, allegedly asked women voters to lift their burqas to match their identity at a polling station. A case was brought against him by election authorities.

Srinagar voted amid growing concerns over low turnout and the campaign’s increasingly vitriolic attitude. His ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is not contesting the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat or two other constituencies in Muslim-majority Kashmir. Many displaced Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu were unable to vote because their names were not on the electoral roll.

The voter turnout in the first three phases of the Lok Sabha elections was 66.14 per cent, 66.71 per cent and 65.68 per cent respectively.

At this stage, a total of 1,717 candidates are contesting across Sabah seats, with over 1.77 billion voters, including 8.73 billion women.

Telangana with 17 Lok Sabha seats, Andhra Pradesh with 25 seats, Uttar Pradesh with 13 seats, Bihar with 5 seats, Jharkhand with 4 seats, Madhya Pradesh with 8 seats, Maharashtra with 11 seats, There are four seats in Odisha, eight in West Bengal and one in Jammu and Kashmir.

Till the third phase of Lok Sabha elections, voting was held in 283 out of 543 seats. He will end up with 379 seats after voting ends today.

The voter turnout in the first three phases of the Lok Sabha elections was 66.14 per cent, 66.71 per cent and 65.68 per cent respectively.

The next three phases are scheduled for May 20, May 25 and June 1, with vote counting scheduled for June 4.