Lok Sabha polls fourth phase highlights: Voter turnout for assmebly polls reaches 62.7% by 7pm

Lok Sabha elections live: Voting is underway in 96 LS seats across 10 states. Andhra Pradesh and Odisha also have their assembly polls scheduled today

A total of Ninety-six Lok Sabha (LS) seats spread across 10 states and Union Territories will caste votes in the Phase-IV of the elections on Monday. The states going to polls also include Madhya Pradesh’s Indore, where the Congress has urged the electorate to press the NOTA (none of the above) button after its candidate, Akshay Kanti Bam, withdrew his nomination and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

In Andhra Pradesh, voters will cast their votes to elect representatives for all 25 of Lok Sabha and 175 of its Assembly seats. Polling will also be held on 28 of Odisha’s 146 Assembly seats and four of its 21 Lok Sabha seats. Other than MP and Andhra Pradesh, all the 17 of Telangana’s LS seats will vote, in addition to polling in Bihar (5), Jharkhand (4), Madhya Pradesh (8), Maharashtra (11), Uttar Pradesh (13), West Bengal (8), and Srinagar (one) in Jammu and Kashmir.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today morning expressed hope that people will exercise their franchise in large numbers to strengthen democracy while Home Minister Amit Shah  asked voters including those in Jammu and Kashmir to reach polling booths in record numbers as polling began for the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections.

In a post on X, PM Modi said, "In today's 4th Phase of the Lok Sabha elections, 96 seats across 10 States and UTs are going to the polls. I am sure people in these constituencies will vote in large numbers and the young voters as well as women voters will power this surge in voting. Come, let's all do our duty and strengthen our democracy!"

 

 

 

4:57 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: 42.35% voter turnout registered in 11 LS seats in Maharashtra till 3 pm

A voter turnout of 42.35 per cent was recorded till 3 pm on Monday in 11 of the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra, where polling is underway in the fourth phase of the general election, the state electoral office said. Polling began at 7 am and will end at 6 pm in Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Raver, Jalna, Aurangabad, Maval, Pune, Shirur, Ahmednagar, Shirdi, and Beed constituencies.

4:47 PM

TMC goons tried to influence polls, alleges BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari

After reports of incidents of violence emerged from multiple locations in West Bengal during polling today, West Bengal Leader of Opposition alleged that that Trinamool Congress goons were behind the incident, adding that they tried to influence the polls but the central paramilitary forces restricted the violence. 

4:42 PM

'My family works for Rae Bareli, PM Modi for Adani, Ambani', says Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi stated today that his family has always worked for the people of the Rae Bareli parliamentary constituency, unlike Prime Minister Narendra Modi who works in the "interest of Adani and Ambani". Gandhi was addressing his first election meeting in the constituency after his nomination.

4:30 PM

Don't play with self-respect and dignity of Bengal's women, CM Mamata Banerjee tells PM Modi

Addressing an election meeting at Bongaon, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to play with the self-respect and dignity of women of the state by making "false claims" about atrocities. "Don't play with the self-respect of women, don't hatch conspiracy by playing with the dignity of our mothers and sisters," she said. PM Modi in his public meetings on Sunday alleged that the TMC was trying to hide its past misdeeds in Sandeshkhali where TMC leaders were accused of sexual assault and land grab.

4:20 PM

LS polls 2024: Around 56% voter turnout registered in Jharkhand till 3 pm, CM Champai Soren casts vote

A voter turnout of around 56.42 per cent was recorded till 3 pm in the four Lok Sabha constituencies in Jharkhand where polling was underway on Monday, officials said. Voting started at 7 am in Singhbhum, Lohardaga, Khunti and Palamu seats amid tight security measures, marking the first phase of elections in the eastern state. It will continue till 5 pm.

4:10 PM

Why aren't you arresting Adani and Ambani?: Congress chief Kharge to PM ModI

Addressing an election rally in Jharkhand's Hazaribag,  Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge  attacked the PM over the arrest of former CM Hemant Soren, and dared him to arrest "Adani and Ambani". "You arrested Hemant Soren, why aren't you arresting Adani and Ambani?" he said, hitting back at the prime minister who earlier alleged that the Congress received "tempo loads of cash" from the two businessmen for its leader Rahul Gandhi to stop "abusing" them.

 

4:06 PM

LS polls 2024: People should vote in large number, save country from dishonest people, says Akhilesh Yadav

Amid polling in the fourth phase of LS polls, Samajwadi Party chief and candidate from Kannauj Lok Sabha seat Akhilesh Yadav said, "People should vote in large numbers and save the country from dishonest people."

4:03 PM

Sporadic incidents of violence mar fourth phase polling in Bengal; clashes in Bardhaman-Durgapur LS seat

Incidents of violence affected the fourth phase of Lok Sabha polls in the eight parliamentary constituencies of West Bengal on Monday as TMC and BJP workers clashed in various parts of violence-hit Birbhum and Bardhaman-Durgapur seats.

3:57 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: All India voter turnout till 3 pm recorded at 52.60%

Till 3 pm today, a voter turnout of over 52 per cent was recordedn the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections in 96 constituencies spread over 10 states and Union Territories.

3:15 PM

Opposition seems to be full of cowards and timid people: PM Modi

Addressing three back-to-back rallies in Bihar's Hajipur, Muzaffarpur and Saran Lok Sabha constituencies, Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the opposition INDIA bloc, calling its leaders “cowards” who were “scared of Pakistan's nuclear power”. “The INDIA bloc seems to have leaders who are scared of Pakistan and have nightmares of its nuclear power,” he said. The remarks come in the backdrop of comments by Abdullah about Pakistan having atom bombs and not wearing bangles. “If Pakistan does not wear bangles, we will make the country wear these. I knew they did not have foodgrains. Now, I come to know they do not even have adequate supply of bangles,” PM Modi said.

 

3:10 PM

Trinamool candidate Yusuf Pathan expresses confidence on victory

"I am happy to see that youth & women are voting in large numbers. There is a positive environment. I have full faith that I will win with a huge margin. If I have to sacrifice for the people then I am ready, I have come here to work for the people. People have supported me a lot, they want a change here," TMC candidate from Baharampur Lok Sabha constituency, Yusuf Pathan said today. 

2:55 PM

Lok Sabha polls: Can Rahul baba protect the country, asks Amit Shah at Dhule rally

"I want to ask Uddhav Thackeray, if he has a bit of morality left in him, to come out and tell the people of Maharashtra whether Article 370 should have been removed or not. Can Rahul baba protect the country? Can he make the country prosperous?,"   Union Home Minister Amit Shah asked at a public rally in Maharashtra's Dhule.

2:49 PM

PM Modi to hold roadshow in Varanasi today, to file nomination on Tuesday

Before he files his nomination on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also take a dip in the Ganga, sources in the BJP said. PM Modi is seeking a third consecutive term from the seat that will go to polls on June 1 in the seventh and last phase of the General Elections

2:35 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: ‘Someone had already voted in my name’, claims Pune Congress Chief Arvind Shinde

Pune City Congress chief Arvind Shinde stated today that he was surprised to find that although his name was on the voters’ list someone had already cast the vote. “I had gone to cast my vote at the polling booth where my name is registered. This was at St Mira’s English Medium Secondary school in Rasta Peth," Shinde said.

2:18 PM

NCP (SP) claims wrongdoing after CCTVs get turned off at godown storing EVMs from Baramati

The Nationalist Congress Party (SP) today alleged misconduct after CCTV cameras got turned off for 45 minutes at a godown where the EVMs from the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency were stored in Maharashtra's Pune district. Poll officials, however, said that a cable of the cameras had to be removed for a short period during some electrical work on the premises in the morning.