The total voter turnout for Phase 6 of the Lok Sabha elections is 63.3%, reported news agency PTI. Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Bihar and Haryana all voted in the sixth phase of the elections. Polling was held in 14 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 10 in Haryana, eight seats each in West Bengal, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, seven in Delhi and four in Jharkhand today.
59.1% total voter turnout was recorded in Delhi, while Bihar and Haryana recorded 59.4% and 64% total voter turnout respectively. Jharkhand registered 65.2% total voter turnout and Madhya Pradesh recorded 60.7% total turnout. Uttar Pradesh recorded 54% voter turnout while West Bengal saw 80.2% turnout till 3 PM.
Several high-profile political leaders voted today for the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha elections. President Ram Nath Kovind, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and son Rahul Gandhi all voted in this phase of the elections. Cricketer Virat Kohli voted in this phase of the elections as well. In Madhya Pradesh, where voting in 8 constituencies is being held, BJP's Pragya Thakur and Congress's Jyotiraditya Scindia also cast their votes.
Around 979 candidates contested this phase, while in Delhi, where people from all the seven constituencies voted today, the heads of the state unit of the BJP, Congress and AAP are contesting each other in the same seat.
BJP candidate from West Bengal's Ghatal constituency, also a former IPS officer and former trusted lieutenant of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, was attacked, heckled and pushed to the ground at a polling station in Keshpur village, 145 km from Bengal capital Kolkata.
A Trinamool Congress worker was injured after he was hit by a bullet fired by the bodyguard of Ms Ghosh. In Jhargram's Garbeta, several Trinamool Congress and BJP workers were also injured in clashes. BJP claims Trinamool Congress was trying to capture a booth.
Poll violence has occurred in West Bengal in the previous five phases as well.
Here are the Highlights from the 6th phase of polling in Lok Sabha Election 2019:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today alleged that Madhya Pradesh's Congress government was in a shambles, with more than one Chief Minister wielding power in the state. "In Madhya Pradesh, a certain party has 2.5 Chief Ministers. The administration doesn't even know whose orders are to be followed. Goons, murderers and dacoits have been given the licence to roam free," news agency ANI quoted him as saying at a rally in Khandwa constituency.
Reports of violence came from Azamgarh where the convoy of Samajwadi Party leader Durga Yadav was attacked on Sunday evening.
Samajwadi leaders lodged complaints of polling officials casting fake votes and also preventing elderly voters from casting their votes, reported IANS.
The Samajwadi Party lodged complaints with the Election Commission in this regard.
Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav is a candidate from Azamgarh and he is pitted against BJP candidate and Bhojpuri star Dinesh Lal Yadav Nirahua.
In Haryana, the total voter turnout was registered as 64%.
In Jharkhand, the total voter turnout was registered as 65.2%.
In Madhya Pradesh, the total voter turnout was registered as 60.7%.
In Uttar Pradesh, the total voter turnout was registered as 54%.
In West Bengal, the total voter turnout was registered as 80.2%.
In Delhi, the total voter turnout was registered as 59.1%.
The Australian High Commissioner to India, who is in Delhi to observe the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, praised the Election Commission for a "well-organised and orderly" election as 59 seats voted on Sunday.
Voting percentage today: Over 1 lakh 13 thousand polling stations and heavy security have been put in place to conduct smooth voting for phase 6.
"All of a sudden some police officers came in front of my vehicle and told me that they were going to search my car. I told them they had every right to search but let the press people come," he said.
Congress's Digvijaya Singh, up against the BJP's Pragya Singh Thakur, spent the day in Bhopal as the prestigious seat voted today. In the process he missed voting himself -- his booth is at Rajgarh, 140 km away.
After voting in the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha elections, Robert Vadra - the brother-in-law of Congress president Rahul Gandhi - today took to Twitter to post a photograph of him holding up an inked index finger. It was accompanied by an inspirational message and an emoji of the tricolour.
Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge landed in a controversy on Sunday, as voting took place in the sixth round of the national election, with his remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A resident of village Dhani Akbarpur of Loharu Sub Division in Bhiwani district, Kaur arrived at the polling booth accompanied by her family members, reported ANI.
Senior citizens and first-time voters stole the show with their enthusiasm as they arrived at different polling stations across the six states and capital of Delhi to cast their votes.
Jwala Devi, a resident of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, has been living outside Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's Lodhi estate residence for the past 20 years, reported IANS. Her seven-member family works as domestic helps in the government quarters in the locality.
On Sunday, the Congress leader and her husband Robert Vadra were coming out after casting their votes at the Vidya Bhawan Mahavidyalaya, when they spotted Jwala Devi seated on a cot outside her staff quarter.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra immediately went up to ask for her well being and hugged her.
"Priyanka Gandhi asked me whether I had voted or not. I showed her my inked finger and then we all posed for a picture," Jwala Devi told reporters. She clarified that the Congress leader did not ask whom she had voted for.
Jwala Devi said that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra regularly checks on her well being.
As Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and her husband Robert Vadra voted today in Delhi in the sixth round of the national election, the Congress leader was asked about the "missing" voter in the family. Her son Rehan Vadra, 19, would have been a first time voter in this election.
Hours after the Prime Minister's remarks at election rallies in Kushinagar and Deoria earlier in the day, Mayawati said, "In the wake of this incident, Modi is doing dirty politics."
On the Prime Minister's challenge to her to withdraw support to the Congress government in Rajasthan, she said, "The BSP will for sure take an appropriate political decision in the absence of stringent and proper legal action in the case."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who hit out at the Congress government over a gangrape case in Rajasthan's Alwar, today shredded Mayawati over her comments condemning it. Pointing out that Mayawati is supporting the Congress government led by Ashok Gehlot, the Prime Minister accused her of shedding crocodile tears.
"I have cast my vote to the party which inclined towards development and work," wheelchair-bound Singh told ANI at a booth in Sant Garh.
Bachan Singh, a native of Lalpura in Punjab, lives as well as preaches the motto "even a single vote should be wasted".
The army cannot wait for the Election Commission's clearance to take action against terrorists, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said after two terrorists were killed in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian in an encounter on Sunday morning.
With officials persuading villagers to make it to their polling booth, villagers are steadfast and all the attempts by the officials went in vain. The polling booth is located at the primary school in the village and gives a deserted look with only polling staff and police personnel manning it, reported ANI.
There are over 550 voters in the village which comes in district Siddharthnagar. The locals alleged that roads do not get developed, as a result of which the village gets flooded with excess water from the nearby river.
Villagers went on to claim that all they got were empty promises from officials in charge.
President Kovind flashed his inked finger after exercising his franchise along with his wife at a polling booth at the Rashtrapati Bhawan as voters trooped to polling booths in large numbers in 59 constituencies across seven states. The polling began at 7 a.m.
A total electorate of 10.17 crore is eligible to vote in the 14 constituencies of Uttar Pradesh, 10 in Haryana, eight each in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal, seven in Delhi and four in Jharkhand.
Delhi: Former President of India, Pranab Mukherjee casts his vote at a polling booth in NP Primary School, K Kamraj Lane. #Phase6 #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/tfi432GzBv
- ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2019
Priyanka Sharma, Howrah District Club Cell Convener, Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha was arrested on charges of posting a photo-shopped picture of WB CM.Her mother says,"She just shared the picture on social media like many others,since she is an opposition worker she was arrested." pic.twitter.com/eAFLvKKFEM
- ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2019
#DelhiVotes | Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora with his family after voting at Nirman Bhawan in New Delhi#VotingRound6 #Phase6 #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/m0V6JJdTmu
- NDTV (@ndtv) May 12, 2019
Delhi: Senior CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat after casting his vote at a polling booth in Sanchar Bhawan #LokSabhaElections2019 #Phase6 pic.twitter.com/N1vGRiKlw8
- ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2019
Two #FirstTimeVoters at #Bankura #LokSabhaConstituency after casting their vote in course of #PollingRound6 that is being held across 8 #LokSabhaCobstituencies in #WestBengal today. @ECISVEEP @SpokespersonECI @PIBHindi @MIB_India @MIB_Hindi #GoVote #GotInked pic.twitter.com/XIe1uXlZBp
- PIB in West Bengal (@PIBKolkata) May 12, 2019
West Bengal: Scuffle between BJP workers and TMC workers at polling booth number 254 in Bankura after BJP alleged rigging by TMC workers. #LokSabhaEelctions2019 #Phase6 pic.twitter.com/cENI2477kJ
- ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2019
Voter-friendly #LokSabhaElections2019!
- Election Commission #DeshKaMahatyohar (@ECISVEEP) May 12, 2019
Priority to our senior citizens, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities at the #PollingStation makes elections accessible to all #GoVote #Phase6 pic.twitter.com/BYjxBAYmIY
#DeshKaMahatyohar
- IPS Association (@IPS_Association) May 12, 2019
लोकतंत्र का महापर्व
Some superfine moments from today's polling in #Delhi ~ @DelhiPolice those are inspiring pictures 👌#6thphase #VoteKar @ECISVEEP @CPDelhi pic.twitter.com/iK3x3d75ku
I did my duty, did you? Says Shri @AshokLavasa, Election Commissioner, to all voters of #Phase6 of #LokSabhaElections2019. #GotInked pic.twitter.com/rIMj87HzEO
- Election Commission #DeshKaMahatyohar (@ECISVEEP) May 12, 2019
Delhi's oldest voter, 111-year old Bachan Singh votes at a polling station in Sant Garh. #DelhiVotes #ElectionsWithNDTV
- NDTV (@ndtv) May 12, 2019
📷ANI pic.twitter.com/UeINDZoLM8
At your service! #KnowYourPollingStation
- Election Commission #DeshKaMahatyohar (@ECISVEEP) May 12, 2019
There will be 3 polling officials inside the Polling Station who will support you in your voting exercise. #GoVote #IndiaElections2019 #DeshKaMahatyohar #GotInked #Phase6 @ceoup @CEOBihar @ceojharkhand @CEOWestBengal @CeodelhiOffice pic.twitter.com/BMtUqpVeMp
Take a look at the interim voter turnout today in #Phase6 of #LokSabhaElections2019. (Updated till 10:30AM)
- Election Commission #DeshKaMahatyohar (@ECISVEEP) May 12, 2019
Download #VoterTurnoutApp and see real-time Turnout Report: https://t.co/wVA1uVlL7B #GotInked #IndiaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/aKymoxCGRk
Delhi: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj after casting her vote at a polling booth in NP Senior Secondary School in Aurangzeb Lane. #LokSabhaElections2019 #Phase6 pic.twitter.com/OwqUzkY7Lt
- ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2019
Will ensure incident free voting today @DelhiPolice pic.twitter.com/akK6Ft4lrj
- DCP South Delhi (@DCPSouthDelhi) May 12, 2019
President Ram Nath Kovind and first lady Savita Kovind cast their vote today in Delhi in #Phase6 #ElectionsWithNDTV pic.twitter.com/Th8FCncfmo
- NDTV (@ndtv) May 12, 2019
Child Rights activist and Nobel Prize winner Kailash Satyarthi and his wife voted today. In a tweet he said, protecting the democracy is a "raj dharma"#Phase6 #ElectionsWithNDTV pic.twitter.com/Zj9iUZa0wi
- NDTV (@ndtv) May 12, 2019
#ElectionsWithNDTV | 59 constituencies across 6 states and the national capital vote in #Phase6 of the Lok Sabha polls today
- NDTV (@ndtv) May 12, 2019
Follow live coverage on https://t.co/Fbzw6mR9Q5 and NDTV 24x7 pic.twitter.com/K2rhOzjTmQ
Congress's Ajay Maken votes in New Delhi constituency. This is the fourth consecutive time he is contesting from the same seat. In 2014, Ajay Maken lost to BJP's Meenakshi Lekhi.#Phase6 #ElectionsWithNDTV
- NDTV (@ndtv) May 12, 2019
📷ANI pic.twitter.com/IWK0MDO7Tv
Done my bit !! It's your turn now.. #GoVoteDelhi pic.twitter.com/rIZUa90meX
- Chowkidar Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) May 12, 2019
#ElectionsWithNDTV | Delhi and 6 states vote today in #Phase6 of #LokSabhaElections2019
- NDTV (@ndtv) May 12, 2019
Follow live on https://t.co/Fbzw6mR9Q5 and NDTV 24x7 pic.twitter.com/Cd1WMaegw5
Jharkhand: A first time voter, Rita Kumari from Dhanbad #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/EtuwBNjnEJ
- ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2019
@raghav_chadha ने आज कालकाजी स्थित कालका मंदिर में माँ काली का आशीर्वाद लिया। pic.twitter.com/GzqrCe1dFo
- Raghav4Change (@Raghav4Change) May 12, 2019
Sirsa: Polling preparation underway at polling station number 20-21 of the Sirsa parliamentary constituency. Voting will be held for 10 parliamentary constituencies in Haryana today. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/73kUfd3ntA
- ANI (@ANI) May 12, 2019
The fate of several prominent politicians, including Union Minister Harsh Vardhan, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia, will be decided today.