lok-sabha-elections

Updated: May 12, 2019 19:57 IST

Polling began at 7am on Sunday for the penultimate round of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections with 59 constituencies across 7 states voting to pick their lawmakers, this includes all seven Lok Sabha seats of Delhi.

Delhi is voting alongside 14 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 10 in Haryana, eights each in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal, and four in Jharkhand.

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It’s a high-stake round for the BJP and its allies as out of the 59 seats polling today, they hold 46, UPA has two and others 11.

Here are the highlights:

-Total voter turnout till 6 pm is 63.3%: Election Commission

-Total 61.14% voting till 7 pm in Phase 6

Total 61.14% voting till 7 pm in Phase 6. West Bengal- 80.16, Delhi-56.11, Haryana- 62.91, Uttar Pradesh- 53.37, Bihar- 59.29, Jharkhand- 64.46, Madhya Pradesh- 60.40

-Total 59.70% voting till 6 pm in Phase 6

Total 59.70% voting till 6 pm in Phase 6. Bihar-55.04%, Haryana-62.12%, Madhya Pradesh-60.12%, Uttar Pradesh-50.82%, West Bengal-80.13%, Jharkhand-64.46%, NCT of Delhi-55.44%.

-Total 50.77% voting till 4 pm in Phase 6

Total 50.77% voting till 4 pm in Phase 6. West Bengal- 70.51, Delhi-45.24, Haryana- 51.86 Uttar Pradesh- 43.26, Bihar- 44.40, Jharkhand- 58.08, Madhya Pradesh- 52.78.

-Around 4 pm, police blocked the way of Ghatal’s BJP candidate Bharati Ghosh

Around 4 pm, police blocked the way of Ghatal’s BJP candidate Bharati Ghosh when she was moving towards Pingla. Guardrails were placed on the road to prevent her car.

“If there is any allegation of my security personnel opening fire, there will be an investigation. Bullets will be matched and due process has to be followed. But why block my way?” Ghosh told the media.

- At 3 pm, 51% voter turnout in Phase 6

At 3 pm, the overall voter turnout in Phase 6 of Lok Sabha elections 2019 stood at 50.63%.

44.40% votes were polled in Bihar, 51.65% in Haryana, 52.54% in Madhya Pradesh, 43.26% in Uttar Pradesh, 70.22% in West Bengal, 58.05% in Jharkhand, and 44.90% in Delhi, as per data on Election Commission’s Voter Turnout app.

- ‘Register complaint against BJP’s Bharati Ghosh’: Poll panel directs police

The Election Commission has directed the police to register a complaint against BJP candidate Bharati Ghosh for coming within 100 metres of booths (206 and 207 number booths in Keshpur) with security men carrying arms.

On Sunday morning, Ghosh went to these booths after getting reports that her polling agent could not enter the booth since TMC supporters were resisting him.

Eventually, Ghosh had to return after trying fruitlessly to take him into the booth. She was heckled by TMC women supporters when she and her agent tried to enter the booth.

- At 12 noon, 25.13% voter turnout in Phase 6

At 12 noon, the overall voter turnout in Phase 6 of Lok Sabha elections 2019 stood at 25.13%.

20.70% votes were polled in Bihar, 23.30% in Haryana, 28.21% in Madhya Pradesh, 21.75% in Uttar Pradesh, 38.26% in West Bengal, 31.27% in Jharkhand, and 19.55% in Delhi, as per data on Election Commission’s Voter Turnout app.

- EVM glitches reported in Delhi

Complaints about malfunctioning EVMs poured in from several places of the national capital on Sunday where voting is underway.

Adarsh Gupta, a resident of Matia Mahal area, claimed that at polling booth number 84, 85 and 86, electronic voting machines were initially not working in the morning.

Aam Aadmi Party’s Malviya Nagar MLA Somnath Bharti alleged that EVMs at booths number -- 116,117 and 122 -- were not functioning.

“EVM in booth 132, Hauzrani is showing 50 votes without anyone casting any vote in the machine n EVMs at booths 116,117, 122 in Malviya nagar not functioning,” Bharti tweeted.

However, there was no immediate reaction from the chief electoral office, reported news agency PTI.

- At 11 am, 24.80% voter turnout in Phase 6

At 11 am, the overall voter turnout in Phase 6 of Lok Sabha elections 2019 stood at 24.80%.

20.70% votes were polled in Bihar, 22.63% in Haryana, 27.59% in Madhya Pradesh, 21.75% in Uttar Pradesh, 38.08% in West Bengal, 31.27% in Jharkhand, and 18.76% in Delhi, as per data on Election Commission’s Voter Turnout app.

- ‘Love will win against PM Modi’s campaign of hate’: Rahul Gandhi

‘Love will win’, was Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s message after casting vote in New Delhi on Sunday for the sixth round of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections in 59 constituencies across 7 states.

“The election was fought on several issues – unemployment, farm distress, demonetization, Rafale… Narendra Modi used hatred in the campaign and we used love and I am confident love will win,” the president said after casting his vote in New Delhi constituency where party’s Ajay Maken is a candidate against BJP’s Meenakshi Lekhi and AAP’s Brijesh Goyal.

- BJP, Trinamool workers found dead in Bengal ahead of sixth phase polling

The bodies of a BJP leader and a Trinamool Congress worker were found on Saturday night, triggering allegations of political murders in West Bengal, a few hours before polling began in the sixth phase of Lok Sabha election on Sunday.

Ramen Singh, 42, and Sudhakar Maity, 55, were found dead in Gopiballavpur of Jhargram and Contai of East Midnapore respectively. While Singh was a booth president of the Bharatiya Janata Party, Maity was a Trinamool Congress worker.

Medinipur and Jhargram are among the eight constituencies polling in the sixth phase of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections on Sunday.

- BJP vs Congress vs AAP: A triangular contest for 7 Delhi seats

As many as 1.43 crore people are expected to vote on Sunday in a high-stakes triangular fight to elect Delhi’s seven Lok Sabha representatives, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is looking to retain all seats, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) trying to make its debut in the Lower House from the Capital and the Congress attempting to regain its lost base.

This election, which saw a high-pitched campaign replete with rhetoric, political defections, an assault on the CM, and even a couple of personal attacks, will be even more crucial as Delhi elects a new assembly in less than nine months — one of the reasons why for months, AAP and the Congress were trying to get into a seat-sharing pact and ensure their combined vote share increased and surpassed that of the BJP in the LS election.

Now that AAP and the Congress have failed to forge an alliance, the fight for the seven seats, presently held by the BJP, will be triangular.

- BJP’s Bharati Ghosh allegedly pushed by TMC supporters at Bengal poll booth

BJP candidate Bharati Ghosh alleged that she was pushed around by some women when she rushed to a polling station in Chandkhali area of Keshpur under West Bengal’s Ghatal constituency. Ghosh said her polling agent was not allowed to enter the booth.

The women said in front of TV channels that they were TMC supporters.

“I am the candidate. I am being pushed around and heckled. Those assaulting me and preventing my polling agent to enter the booth should be arrested,” said Ghosh, who was the superintendent of police in West Midnapore district for six years (2011-2017) in which her constituency is located.

- Early reports of VVPAT malfunctioning in Bengal

Polling began in eight constituencies the 6th phase with long queues outside polling stations in Bengal from as early as 6 am, or in some cases, even earlier.

There were early reports of VVPAT malfunctioning in one booth in Jaypur area of Purulia constituency.

- PM Modi urges youngsters to turn up in record numbers

“Yet another phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections is here!

Urging all those whose constituencies are polling in today’s sixth phase to go out and vote. I hope youngsters are voting in record numbers. After all, their participation makes the polls even more special,” tweeted PM Narendra Modi.

- Key contests in Phase 6

Among those in the ring in phase 6 of elections -- predominantly in northern states, barring West Bengal -- are Maneka Gandhi, Varun Gandhi, Rita Bahuguna Joshi, Dilip Ghosh, Meenakshi Lekhi (all BJP), Digvijaya Singh, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sheila Dikshit, Ajay Maken, Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Kirti Azad (all Congress), Akhilesh Yadav (Samajwadi Party) and Manas Bhunia (Trinamool).