Polling for the initial stage of the Lok Sabha elections took place on Friday, encompassing 102 constituencies across 21 states and Union Territories. During the voting, there were incidents of unrest reported from certain areas in West Bengal and Manipur.
By 7 p.m. on Friday, preliminary data indicated that 60.03% of voters had cast their ballots.
Tripura saw the highest voter participation with 79.9%, while Bihar had the lowest at 47.49%.
This voter turnout represents a decrease from the 69.43% recorded during the first phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, where 91 constituencies in 18 states and two Union Territories voted.
In the current phase, the NDA captured 51 of the 102 seats, with the BJP alone winning 40. Similarly, the opposition also secured 51 seats. The Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party participated independently of the Congress alliance in 2019.
Voter turnout in Uttar Pradesh's constituencies that participated in this phase was lower compared to 2019.
For instance, Saharanpur's voter turnout decreased from 70.87% in 2019 to 63.29% this year. Pilibhit and Muzaffarnagar also saw significant declines in voter participation.
In Madhya Pradesh, Shahdol's turnout drastically dropped from 74.77% in 2019 to 60.40% in 2024. Chhindwara, a key constituency, reported a turnout of 73.85%, down from 82.42%.
Cooch Behar in West Bengal, amidst reported violence, saw a voter turnout of 77.73%, a decrease from 84.08% in the previous election.
Nagpur in Maharashtra saw a turnout of 49.07%, which is lower than the 54.94% recorded in 2019. Bikaner in Rajasthan and Ramtek in Maharashtra also reported reduced voter turnouts compared to the last elections.
Lakshadweep noted a significant drop to 59.02% from 85.21% in 2019.
In Chhattisgarh's Maoist-impacted Bastar, the turnout was 63.41%, showing a slight decrease from 66.26% in 2019, reflecting the voters' resilience.
These figures remain provisional as per the data available until 7 p.m. on Friday and may be updated.
The Election Commission remarked that despite the heatwave conditions, the polling process for the first phase of the General Elections 2024 was mostly peaceful and saw a robust turnout, showcasing the electorate's dedication to their democratic duties.
This phase concluded polling for ten states and UTs towards electing the 18th Lok Sabha and included assembly elections in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
Polling was conducted across various regions, including all seats in Tamil Nadu, a few in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, and one seat each in Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir, and Chhattisgarh among others.
As of 7 p.m., voter turnout percentages for different regions have been recorded, with states like Assam, Meghalaya, and Puducherry showing high participation rates.
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