Voting has ended for the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha elections. This round brings an end to the mammoth seven-phase exercise that saw millions of Indians voting to choose who will represent them in the 17th Lok Sabha. In the 7th phase, 59 seats went to polls across seven states and one Union territory. Among the key states voted today are Punjab (13), West Bengal (9), Madhya Pradesh (8) and Uttar Pradesh (13).
Incidents of violence in West Bengal and clashes in Punjab were reported during the seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha polls on Sunday, with 56.30% polling being recorded till 5pm in 59 seats. The last phase of Lok Sabha elections, which will decide the fate of 918 candidates, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also saw EVM glitches and poll boycott at some booths. Punjab saw a polling percentage of 55.44 per cent till 5pm in 13 Lok Sabha seats. In Madhya Pradesh, 62.48 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 5 pm in eight Lok Sabha seats. In Uttar Pradesh 48.90% voting was recorded till 5 pm in 13 Lok Sabha seats.
The counting of votes will take place on May 23.
Here are the highlights from final phase of polling in Lok Sabha Election 2019:
General Elections 2019 Phase 7: 10 Per cent Polling Recorded Till 9 am In Uttar Pradesh
Nearly 10 per cent voting was recorded in the first two hours of polling in 13 Lok Sabha seats of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday, officials said.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who was among the early voters in Gorakhpur, said, "People are fighting this election for nation's interest and if someone cannot understand this thing, his IQ is questionable. The entire election revolved around Modiji. With big achievements of his government during the last five years, the BJP will win the election." Ram Bhuwal Nishad, the SP-BSP alliance candidate also voted at Daunadih Prathmik Vidyalaya booth number 295 in Gorakhpur at 7.30 AM. Union minister of state for Finance Shiv Pratap Shukla also exercised his franchise in Gorakhpur. He said BJP candidate Ravi Kishan will win with more than 3 lakh votes and the BJP will form government at the Centre.
General Elections 2019 Phase 7: 13.41 Per cent Polling Recorded Till 9 am In West Bengal
An estimated 13.41 per cent of the 1,49,63,064 voters exercised their franchise in nine Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal till 9 am on Sunday, an Election Commission official said. Polling in the first two hours was peaceful, the official said. "Polling till 9AM in the nine Lok Sabha constituencies is absolutely peaceful. We have received no complaints of any violence or any problem from anywhere in any of the polling booths in these constituencies. However, our officers are alert and ready to counter any untoward incident," a senior IPS officer told PTI.
Till 9 am, Jadavpur recorded the highest turnout with 17.11 per cent followed by Dum Dum 16.57 per cent, he said. Mathurapur (SC) witnessed 15.68 per cent, Basirhat 15.67 per cent, Barasat 14.78 per cent, Diamond Harbour 13.32 per cent followed by Kolkata Dakshin 11.92 per cent, Jaynagar, 11.43 per cent and Kolkata Uttar 11.08 per cent, the official said.
Last Round Voting Begins Today
The last round of voting today will bring an end to the mammoth seven-phase exercise that saw millions of Indians voting to choose who will represent them in the 17th Lok Sabha.
