Lok Sabha polls: Himachal records highest voter turnout at 14.35 per cent till 9 am

As voting for the final phase of the Lok Sabha elections is underway across 57 parliamentary constituencies, Himachal Pradesh has recorded the highest voter turnout of 14.35 per cent till 9 am, according to data provided by the Election Commission.

Other states witnessing polling in this phase include Bihar with a 10.58 percent turnout, Chandigarh at 11.64 percent, Jharkhand at 12.15 percent, Punjab at 9.64 percent, Uttar Pradesh at 12.94 percent, and West Bengal at 12.63 percent. In contrast, Odisha has reported a relatively low voter turnout of 7.69 percent till 9 am.

The overall voter turnout across all constituencies in this final phase stands at 11.31 percent as of 9 am.

Voting commenced at 7 am today in the remaining 57 parliamentary seats spread across seven states and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, marking the conclusion of the largest democratic exercise in the country.

According to the Election Commission of India, over 10.06 crore electors, including approximately 5.24 crore male, 4.82 crore female, and 3,574 third-gender voters, are expected to exercise their franchise in this phase.

In Punjab, all 13 parliamentary constituencies are witnessing polling today, while six assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh are also holding by-polls simultaneously. The outcome of these by-polls is expected to have a significant impact on the Congress government in the state, as all six seats were previously held by Congress MLAs who faced allegations of cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha elections.

Additionally, polling for the remaining 42 Assembly Constituencies of the Odisha State Legislative Assembly is underway concurrently.

Once the voting concludes at 6:30 pm today, various TV channels are expected to air the outcome of exit polls. However, the Election Commission has issued a ban on exit polls from 7 am on April 19 to 6:30 pm on June 1, until the conclusion of polling.

The high-voltage campaigning for this final phase of Lok Sabha polls concluded on May 30, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi holding more than 200 campaign events, including rallies and roadshows, over the course of 75 days. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also actively participated, holding over 100 rallies and public interaction programs.

The previous six phases of the Lok Sabha elections were held on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, and May 25. Assembly polls have also taken place in Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh, while Odisha witnessed simultaneous polls for the Lok Sabha and state assembly in the last four phases.