Lok Sabha Election 2019 Phase 4: BJP, TMC, SP, Cong move EC, 38.39% polling till 1 p.m.

Polling for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha election in 72 parliamentary constituencies spread across nine States began on Monday. Voting is taking place 13 seats each in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, five in Bihar, eight in West Bengal, three in Jharkhand, six in Madhya Pradesh, 17 in Maharashtra, six in Odisha and a part of Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag constituency. Voting began at 7 am. A total of 12.79 crore people are eligible to vote in this phase of polling.

Lok Sabha Election 2019

The stakes are high for BJP as they will defend 45 of the seats it won in the 2014 Lok Sabha battle including 13 in Rajasthan, 12 in Uttar Pradesh, five in Madhya Pradesh, three in Bihar, three in Jharkhand, eight in Maharashtra and one in West Bengal.

According to the ECI, 38.39% polling is recorded till 1:00 p.m. as per details below

Lok Sabha Election 2019 Phase 4 Live Voting updates

In West Bengal, violence was reported in Bandar in Nanoor area of Birbhum district as supporters of  Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) clashed with Trinamool Congress over allegations of electoral malpractices. At Dubrajpur in Birbhum, a central armed police force allegedly fired a few shots in the air when he had an altercation with locals who had surrounded him. Clashes were also reported at Nalhati and there were allegations of intimidation of voters at Rampurhat in the district.

In Jammu & Kashmir, several incidents of stone pelting have been reported in Kulgam district. The police official 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 the timely action of security forces,” a police official said.

In Madhya Pradesh, officials told that an Independent candidate, Kishore Samrite, in Balaghat Lok Sabha seat alleged that his vehicle was set afire by Naxals. A case was registered by police in this connection and the State Election Office was also probing the incident.

In Odisha, technical glitches in EVMs delayed polling in 60 booths but it resumed after snags were rectified, as reported by the official.

In Bihar, officials told that polling was briefly hampered at three booths in Munger, two in Darbhanga and three in Begusarai due to glitches in EVMs, which were rectified. Also, an Election Commission source said that people boycotted voting at a polling station in Rajwara village of Teghra assembly segment in Begusarai Lok Sabha constituency to protest lack of road connectivity.

In Rajasthan, Despite the scorching heat, over 43% of 2.57 crore electorate Monday cast their votes till 1 p.m. in 13 Lok Sabha seats. Maximum voter percentage of 53.45 was registered in Barmer, followed by Jodhpur where 46.41% of voters exercised their franchise till 1 p.m.

In Maharashtra, a host of celebrities have come out early in the morning in Mumbai to cast their votes. From Rekha to Priyanka Chopra, Ravi Kishan and Anil Ambani, several stars were seen voting in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections.

Earlier in the morning, Mr. Modi tweeted, “Another phase of the general elections begins today. I hope those voting today do so in large numbers and break the voting records of the previous three phases. A special appeal to young voters to head to the polling booth and exercise their franchise.”