Live updates: Polling in other states

Voter turnout in key states at 5pm

BJP urges EC to deploy central forces in all polling booths of West Bengal

West Bengal: The BJP approached the Election Commission Monday complaining that Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers have “hijacked democracy” in West Bengal and creating ruckus during voting, and again demanded deployment of central forces in all polling booths in the state.

Following reports of a clash between the ruling TMC and BJP workers outside a booth in Asansol’s Barabani, and vandalism of the vehicle of Union Minister and sitting MP Babul Supriyo, a BJP delegation met top officials of the poll panel in New Delhi. The delegation included Union Ministers Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Vijay Goel, and the party’s media in-charge Anil Baluni.

121 polling booths in Jharkhand managed by women

Jharkhand: Women power was on full display in Jharkhand during the fourth phase of Lok Sabha polls with 121 polling booths being managed by women Monday.

Of the 6,072 polling booths in the fourth phase, 121 were exclusively managed by women. “There were 46 all-women polling booths in Palamau, 33 in Chatra and 42 in Lohardaga. At these booths, all polling staff, security personnel and other officials were women,” an official said. Jharkhand is voting for three Maoist-affected parliamentary seats, spread over six districts. More than 40 per cent of the booths are located in sensitive areas.

SP alleges VVPAT shows ‘lotus’ when ‘cycle’ button pressed

Uttar Pradesh: Opposition Samajwadi Party Monday urged the Election Commission to remove Uttar Pradesh’s police chief OP Singh from the post alleging he was ‘favouring’ the ruling BJP and affecting elections.

The party also alleged that the Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machine at two polling stations showed the voting for the BJP when the ballot was cast for the SP. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s wife Dimpal is contesting from the constituency. Party leader Dharmendra Yadav said the Director General of Police (DGP) was ‘misusing’ government machinery to help the BJP. “We demanded from the EC to remove him immediately,” Yadav told reporters.

Voter turnout till 3pm is 48.89%

Law and order is state subject: Mamata Banerjee condemns police firing in Bengal

West Bengal: Condemning firing by central force personnel inside a booth, Mamata Banerjee said in a public meeting, “I have heard that central force personnel entered a booth in Dubrajpur and opened fire. Law and order is a state subject. They cannot do it.”

Police allegedly fired in the air in Poduma area Dubrajpur in Birbhum constituency to bring the situation under control after villagers threw stones at the security personnel. The bullet hit a wall of the polling station.

Sachin Tendulkar, his wife Anjali, daughter Sara, and son Arjun cast their vote at a polling centre in Mumbai’s Bandra. Sara and Arjun are first-time voters.

Cong leader Jitin Prasada’s sister finds her vote is already cast

Uttar Pradesh: Former Union Minister Jitin Prasada Monday said that his sister was unable to vote because her vote had already been cast by the time she reached the polling booth in Dhaurhara Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh.

“When my sister went to the polling booth, she found her name had been ticked and the presiding officer told her that vote had been cast. This is how fake voting is taking place,” he said.

Estimated voter turnout till 2pm is 38.63%

Three poll staffers die in Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh: Three government employees, including a woman, engaged in poll duty died in separate incidents in Madhya Pradesh, an official said Monday.

Sunanda Kotekar, 50, who was deployed at Lodhikheda polling booth in Saunsar area of Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat, felt uneasy on Sunday night, state Chief Electoral Officer V L Kantha Rao said. Kotekar, who along with other polling personnel of the polling reached the booth early Sunday, died of cardiac arrest even before she could be provided any medical assistance, he said.

In another incident, an ASI deployed on poll security duty died after suffering a heart attack in Sidhi district Monday morning, Rao said. Besides, a poll staffer posted at Seoni in Balaghat Lok Sabha seat suffered brain haemorrhage and succumbed to it Sunday evening, he said.

Amitabh Bachchan casts vote in Mumbai’s Juhu

Stone pelting mars polls in J&K

Srinagar: Several incidents of stone pelting took place Monday in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir where polling is underway for election to the Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency, police said.

“Isolated incidents of stone pelting near polling stations have been reported from various parts of Kulgam district but the situation is under control due to timely action of security forces,” a police official said. He stated that there were no reports of anyone getting hurt in the stone pelting incidents so far.

Lawyer moves Delhi HC to disqualify PM Modi from contesting

New Delhi: A lawyer from Kolkata has filed a petition in Delhi High Court to disqualify Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Nitin Gadkari’s affidavits to contest Lok Sabha elections. According to the petitioner, the prime minister didn’t disclose the pending criminal cases against himself.

He claimed there is an ongoing CBI inquiry on alleged corruption in allowing E-rickshaw manufacturing licenses to companies. Inquiry after an NGO approached the Guwahati HC.

The petitioner said PM Modi has not declared that he is named in the complaint for which inquiry is ongoing.

Peaceful polling in Jharkhand

Ranchi: An estimated 20.87 per cent of the 45.26 lakh electorate cast their votes till 11.00am Monday in three Lok Sabha constituencies of Jharkhand, in the first phase of elections in the state.

Women voters were seen in large numbers at many booths in Lohardaga (ST), Palamu (SC) and Chatra constituencies, where voting began at 7.00 am, election officials said.

Ranchi Sadar Sub-divisional officer Garima Singh presented a citation to a woman, who became the first voter to turn up at a booth in Lohardaga constituency, they informed.

People of MP will vote for BJP to teach Congress a lesson: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Madhya Pradesh: Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that there were two major issues in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections – National security and welfare of people.

“Only the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi could help create a stable government. The Congress government that came in four months ago in the state has created a chaotic environment in the state and people are also feeling that they have done a mistake by not electing a BJP government. People will surely vote for BJP to teach a lesson to the Congress government in the state,” the former Madhya Pradesh CM said.

18.39 per cent voter turnout recorded till 11am in Maharashtra

Maharashtra: 18.39% voter turnout recorded on 17 parliamentary constituencies in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections, till 11 am.

The last 17 of Maharashtra’s 48 Lok Sabha seats are voting on Monday, with political heavyweights, their family members, and Marathi and Hindi film actors in the fray.

Over 21% voting recorded till 11am in UP

Uttar Pradesh: An estimated 21.15 per cent voters exercised their franchise till 11am in 13 constituencies of Uttar Pradesh in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections Monday, reported news agency PTI.

Seats where polling is underway are Shahjahanpur (SC), Kheri, Hardoi (SC), Misrikh (SC), Unnao, Farrukhabad, Etawah (SC), Kannauj, Kanpur, Akbarpur, Jalaun (SC), Jhansi and Hamirpur.

Polling in this phase is specially important for the ruling BJP as it is aiming for a clean sweep by winning all 13 seats, including Kannauj which was the only seat the Samajwadi Party had managed to win in 2014.

MP candidate alleges attack by Naxals

Bhopal: Independent candidate Kishore Samrite in Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat Lok Sabha seat has alleged that his vehicle was set on fire Monday by Naxals, officials said. A case has been registered by police in this connection and the state election office is also probing the incident, they said.

Rajasthan records above 29% polling in first 4 hours

Jaipur: Over 29 per cent voting was recorded in the first four hours of polling in 13 Lok Sabha constituencies in Rajasthan which began at 7.00 am, Monday.

The Barmar parliamentary constituency recorded the maximum voter turnout of 33.53 per cent, while the overall voting percentage at 11 am was 29.40 per cent, according to the office of the Chief Electoral Officer of the state.

16.90% turnout in first two hours of West Bengal polling

Kolkata: Sporadic incidents of violence marked the first two hours of polling in West Bengal, where an estimated 16.90 per cent of voters exercised their franchise till 9.00am Monday in eight Lok Sabha constituencies, election officials said.

An electorate of 1,34,56,491 will decide the fate of 68 candidates in the eight constituencies — Baharampur, Krishnagar, Ranaghat (SC), Burdwan East (SC), Burdwan-Durgapur, Asansol, Bolpur (SC) and Birbhum.

Despite a ligament tear surgery, this first time voter casts vote in Rajasthan’s Kota

SC issues notice to EC over decriminalising complaints on EVMs

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has issued a notice to EC and Centre on a PIL seeking to decriminalise complaints on malfunctioning of VVPAT/EVM, which at present entails jail term and fine if complaint found false.

Recently, a retired senior police official said he found certain discrepancy in VVPAT but did not have courage to complain as falsity of such complaint would have led to imprisonment and heavy fine.

Voters deck up for festival of democracy

Cong moves SC over ‘poll code violations’ by PM, Amit Shah

New Delhi: Congress MP Sushmita Dev has filed a petition with the Supreme Court, seeking urgent and necessary directions to the Election Commission to take a decision on the complaints filed against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah over alleged violations of electoral laws.

Please don’t forget to vote wherever, whenever you have to: Rishi Kapoor

New York: “Called the Indian Consulate’s office here in New York to inquire if there was any facility for people like us to vote (away from home), there wasn’t. Please do not forget to vote wherever and whenever you have to. Jai Hind! Vande Mataram!” says actor Rishi Kapoor. He has been undergoing medical treatment in New York.

SP leaders allege harassment in Kannauj Lok Sabha constituency

Lucknow: The Samajwadi Party (SP) has claimed that a number of its leaders have been put under house arrest in Kannauj where party president Akhilesh Yadav’s wife Dimple Yadav is contesting the Lok Sabha elections.

Woman poll staff dies after suffering heart attack

Bhopal: A 50-year-old woman poll staffer died after suffering a heart attack ahead of voting in Chhindwara Lok Sabha seat of Madhya Pradesh, an official said, Monday.

Celebs vote early in Mumbai

Mumbai: Actor Priyanka Chopra, Congress candidate from Mumbai North and actor-turned politician Urmila Matondar, BJP lawmaker and actor Paresh Rawal and the legendary Rekha and Madhuri were among the celeb voters who reached election booths here early in the morning to cast their votes as polling began in all the six seats of country’s financial capital.

“This is the moment that matters… Every vote is a voice that counts,” Priyanka tweeted after casting her vote and shared a picture of her inked finger. Actor Rahul Bose, who is shooting in Hyderabad, also returned for a day to exercise his voting rights.

BJP candidate’s car vandalised in West Bengal

Asansol: BJP candidate and the sitting MP from this Lok Sabha constituency, Babul Supriyo’s car was vandalized outside a polling booth Monday. The singer-turned-politician later alleged that the attack on him and his car was carried out by Trinamool Congress workers. Babul is up against TMC’s Moon Moon Sen.

Voting begins

Voting began Monday for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha polls in 72 parliamentary constituencies spread across nine states.

About 12.79 crore people are eligible for voting in the fourth of the seven-phase elections.

The Election Commission has set up 1.40 lakh polling booths/stations and has made elaborate security arrangements.

Polling will be held in 17 seats in Maharashtra, 13 each in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, eight in West Bengal, six each in Madhya Pradesh and Odisha, five in Bihar, three in Jharkhand and a part of the Anantnag constituency in Jammu and Kashmir.

The stakes are high for the ruling BJP and its allies as it had swept 56 of these seats in 2014, leaving just two for the Congress and the rest for other opposition parties such as the Trinamool Congress (six seats) and the Biju Janata Dal (six).

The fate of 961 candidates, including Union ministers Giriraj Singh, Subhash Bhamre, S S Ahluwalia and Babul Supriyo of the BJP and former Union ministers Salman Khurshid and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury of the Congress, will be decided in this phase.

Among other key contestants in the fray are Kanhaiya Kumar (CPI), Baijayant Panda (BJP), Urmila Matondkar (Congress), Dimple Yadav (Samajwadi Party), Satabdi Roy (TMC) and Milind Deora (Congress).

Election in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, where the BJP had cornered all but two of the total 54 seats in 2014, will begin in this phase. The Congress appeared to make a comeback, forming the governments in the states after last year’s Assembly polls.

With this phase, election will come to an end in Maharashtra and Odisha.

Voting is also being held in some Assembly constituencies in Odisha and Madhya Pradesh.

In the first three phases, voting has been held in 302 Lok Sabha constituencies, and 168 more seats will go to polls in the last three phases.

Election to 542 Lok Sabha seats is being conducted in seven phases between April 11 and May 19. Election in Vellore constituency in Tamil Nadu has been cancelled following excess use of money power. Results will be declared May 23.