The second and final phase of polling for Gujarat elections ended this evening. The voting took place in 93 constituencies across 14 districts of the state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah voted in Ahmedabad earlier today. Besides, voting was also held in by-elections to six assembly seats in five states and the Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh, where the Samajwadi Party is locked in a high-voltage contest with the BJP.
Here are Highlights on Elections 2022:
Muslims in Undhela village of Kheda district in Gujarat today boycotted the Gujarat Assembly elections. This is the village where the police were in October seen flogging Muslim men tied to a pole for allegedly throwing stones at a Navratri garba event. Every Muslim in the village has so far boycotted the election, with just half an hour to go for voting to end. Read here
Bed-ridden people, patients on oxygen support, senior citizens including centenarians, and transgender persons were among those who came out to vote in the Gujarat Assembly elections on Monday, setting an example for others to exercise their democratic right.
Physically challenged Ankit Soni, who was born without arms, took everyone by surprise as he used his toes to sign a form at the polling booth and push the button on the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) in Nadiad town of Kheda district.
All eyes are on the exit polls as voting for the second phase ended in Gujarat. 93 seats spread across central and north Gujarat voted today in the triangular contest between the ruling BJP, Congress and Arvind Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party.
The voter turnout in round 2 of Gujarat polls till 3 pm was recorded at 50.51%. The election this time is a three-cornered fight between the ruling BJP, Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Election Commission has allowed Exit Poll Results For Himachal after 6.30 pm today
The first phase of the Gujarat election on December 1 saw low turnout, prompting the Election Commission to criticise "urban apathy" among voters. A turnout of 34.7 per cent has been recorded till 1 pm.
Former Indian cricketers Yusuf Pathan and Irfan Pathan along with their family members cast their votes at a polling booth in Vadodara for the second phase of Gujarat polls. "I appeal to people to come out and vote," said cricketer Yusuf Pathan.
Pawan Khera said Congress has been making several representations to the poll body at various levels, but it looks like the election watchdog is "willingly under pressure".
Aam Aadmi Party's Gujarat Chief Ministerial candidate Isudan Gadhvi today took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the polling booth to cast his vote in the second phase of Gujarat Assembly polls, dubbed by the Opposition as a 'road show' that flouts rules, saying campaigning doesn't solve people's problems. When asked by NDTV for his comment on the allegations of the PM flouting Election Commission rules, he said, "Campaigning doesn't reduce education fee hikes, doesn't help check rising prices, or solve the issue of paper leaks."
Gujarat recorded a voters' turnout of 34.7 per cent till 1 pm, according to provisional figures.
Determined to exercise his franchise, 105-year-old Deepa Manjhi reached his designated polling booth in Bihar's Kurhani assembly segment, where voting is underway for a by-election on Monday. "I have grown very old. It may well be the last opportunity for me to cast my vote," said Mr Manjhi, whose rheumy eyes, shuffling steps and torso bent at a right angle, balanced against a thick bamboo pole he held in his right hand, gave little clue of his determination.
Odisha's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) S K Lohani said glitches in EVMs were reported in four booths, following which all these voting machines were replaced. He appealed to people to cast their votes without any fear.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother Heeraben Modi casts her vote for the second phase of #GujaratAssemblyPolls in Raysan Primary School, Gandhinagar pic.twitter.com/ZfWcBXWCfI
- ANI (@ANI) December 5, 2022
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel cast his vote in the ongoing second phase of the state Assembly elections and said that the BJP would break all its old records in the state and emerge victorious. Read here.
#WATCH | PM Modi's brother Somabhai Modi gets emotional as he talks about PM who visited him earlier today
- ANI (@ANI) December 5, 2022
People cannot ignore the kind of work Centre has done after 2014. I asked him (PM Modi) that he works a lot for the country, he should take some rest as well: Somabhai Modi pic.twitter.com/3SrGMj6A6O
Ahmedabad | Prime Minister Narendra Modi's brother Somabhai Modi casts his vote for the second phase of Gujarat Assembly elections at Nishan Public school, Ranip pic.twitter.com/Efe4aMUtWY
- ANI (@ANI) December 5, 2022
Gujarat recorded 19.2 per cent voters' turnout till 11 am, according to provisional figures.
Bypolls in one Lok Sabha seat and six Assembly constituencies are being held today. The most prominent among them is Uttar Pradesh's Mainpuri parliamentary seat, vacated due to the death of Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav. Read here
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, along with members of his family including his son and BCCI secretary Jay Shah, casts his votes at AMC Sub-Zonal Office in Naranpura of Ahmedabad. #GujaratAssemblyPolls pic.twitter.com/7bgKV556Qr
- ANI (@ANI) December 5, 2022
Gujarat | Union Home Minister Amit Shah and his family offer prayers at a temple in Ahmedabad after casting their votes for the second phase of #GujaratElections2022. His son & BCCI secretary Jay Shah also with them. pic.twitter.com/ub124DNCPf
- ANI (@ANI) December 5, 2022
Polling started on a dull note in the bypolls to three seats in Uttar Pradesh with only 7 per cent of the voters exercising their franchise in the first two hours of voting in Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat, while Rampur Sadar and Khatauli assembly seats witnessed 3.97 and 6.9 per cent polling on Monday, poll body officials said. Polling started at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm.
Ahmedabad | Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel cast her vote for the second phase of #GujaratAssemblyPolls at Polling Booth 95, Shilaj Anupam School#GujaratAssemblyPolls pic.twitter.com/dC7Jk8UKBH
- ANI (@ANI) December 5, 2022
Over 8 per cent polling was recorded in the first two hours of voting in Odisha's Padampur assembly segment, where by-election is underway, an Election Commission official said. Long queues were seen in front of several polling stations even before the voting process started at 7 am. "Tight security arrangements have been made in all 319 polling stations. At least 8.5 per cent of eligible voters have exercised their franchise till 9 am," the poll body official said. The voting will continue till 4 pm.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has reached his polling station in Ahmedabad to cast his vote for the Gujarat polls.
#MainpuriByElection | Administrative pressure so far, our workers were attacked. I alerted them last night to not get caught by Police, reach booths at 7 am & facilitate voting. People loved Netaji (Mulayam Yadav). They'll make Dimple win by huge margin: Shivpal Singh Yadav, PSPL pic.twitter.com/bixfv0jeBk
- ANI (@ANI) December 5, 2022
Ahmedabad | BJP candidate from Viramgam, Hardik Patel cast his vote for the second phase of #GujaratAssemblyPolls at Polling Booth 264 in Chandranagar Primary School pic.twitter.com/iZPQsk6Rfq
- ANI (@ANI) December 5, 2022
#WATCH | The festival of democracy has been celebrated with great pomp by the people of Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi. I want to thank people of the country. I also want to congratulate Election Commission for conducting elections peacefully: Prime Minister Narendra Modi pic.twitter.com/2KKjCq7W1D
- ANI (@ANI) December 5, 2022
Delhi Lt Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and his wife cast their votes for the second phase of #GujaratAssemblyPolls, today in Ahmedabad. pic.twitter.com/qWY8aCREEn
- ANI (@ANI) December 5, 2022
Cast my vote in Ahmedabad. Urging all those voting today to turnout in record numbers and vote. pic.twitter.com/m0X16uCtjA
- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 5, 2022
#OdishabyElections | Voting for by-poll for assembly Padampur Constituency is underway. Visuals from a polling booth in Deeptipur High School, Padmapur pic.twitter.com/Nx9mGjTMxN
- ANI (@ANI) December 5, 2022
Gujarat recorded a voters' turnout of 4.6 per cent till 9 am, according to provisional figures.
PM Modi has cast his vote at a polling station in Ahmedabad. Thereafter, he visited the residence of his brother who stays nearby.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reached his polling station in Ahmedabad to cast his vote for the Gujarat polls. He is walking towards his booth along with his security officials, amid 'Modi, Modi' chants.
Gujarat Congress MLA Kanti Kharadi told NDTV he was attacked last night by BJP candidate Ladhu Parghi and 150 goons carrying swords in Danta constituency. "They would have killed me. I ran and hid in the jungle for three-four hours. The cops found me after that. I have filed a case against the BJP candidate. I had sought protection for four days but didn't get it. I have informed the Congress leadership that I am fine," said the sitting lawmaker.
There are also by-polls taking place in different parts of India. I urge those whose seats are witnessing these by-polls to turnout in large numbers and vote.
- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 5, 2022
Urging all those who are voting in Phase 2 of the Gujarat elections, particularly the young voters and women voters to vote in large numbers. I will be casting my vote in Ahmedabad at around 9 AM.
- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 5, 2022
Congress sitting MLA Kanti Kharadi from Scheduled Tribes reserved Danta seat in Banaskantha district in North Gujarat has claimed that he was assaulted by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Ladhu Parghi. Read here.
Samajwadi Party leader Dimple Yadav, who will contest today's Lok Sabha election in Uttar Pradesh's Mainpuri, has alleged hundreds of BJP leaders and workers are distributing cash and liquor at the constituency. Ms Yadav, the wife of party chief Akhilesh Yadav, in a tweet tagged the Election Commission of India and sought action. "Hundreds of BJP leaders and workers have gathered at Hotel Palm, Station Road, Mainpuri, and are continuously distributing liquor and money. Election Commission should take cognisance of the matter," she tweeted in Hindi.
A day ahead of the Mainpuri Lok Sabha bypoll, Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) chief and Akhilesh Yadav's uncle Shivpal Singh Yadav alleged drones are being used to monitor his party workers and his home. He also claimed that the district administration and the police conducted raids on the residences of Samajwadi Party workers. "Block chief Takha Preeti Yadav's husband Dhruv Yadav alias Chini was taken to custody. When I received the information, I talked to senior officials and then they freed him," Mr Yadav claimed while talking to the reporters on Sunday. He termed it a "murder of democracy".
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and his wife Dimple Yadav will cast their votes in Saifai for the Mainpuri Lok Sabha by-election today. The Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat fell vacant after party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav's death on October 10. Dimple Yadav, a former MP, is the party candidate in Mainpuri.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will cast his vote in Ahmedabad tomorrow when polling for the second and final phase of the Gujarat Assembly elections will be held. Read here.