‘Let’s Make Democracy More Vibrant’: PM Modi Urges All to Vote as 7th Phase of Lok Sabha Poll Begins
Lok Sabha Elections 2024: As the seventh and last phase of the Lok Sabha poll started at 7 AM amid tight security, PM Modi urged all to bote in large numbers and called all voters to make democracy more vibrant and participative.
“Today is the final phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections…I hope young and women voters exercise their franchise in record numbers. Together, let’s make our democracy more vibrant and participative,” PM Modi said on X.
Today is the final phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. As 57 seats across 8 states and UTs go to the polls, calling upon the voters to turnout in large numbers and vote. I hope young and women voters exercise their franchise in record numbers. Together, let’s make our…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 1, 2024
Polling Begins Amid Tight Security
The seventh phase of polling in the last 57 parliamentary constituencies started across seven states and the Union Territory of Chandigarh. The seventh phase marks a grand finish to the world’s largest polling marathon that began on the 19th of last month and has already covered six phases and 486 Lok Sabha seats.
According to the Election Commission of India, over 10.06 crore electors including approximately 5.24 crore male, 4.82 crore female and 3574 third gender electors are expected to exercise their franchise.
Lok Sabha Polls: Prominent Candidates in Fray
A total of 904 candidates are in the fray for the final phase of polling. The prominent candidates in the fray in this phase include Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Ravi Shankar Prasad, Nishikant Dubey, Ravneet Singh Bittu, Congress leaders Manish Tewari, Charanjit Singh Channi, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Misa Bharti.
Actor-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut from the BJP is fighting against Congress candidate Vikramaditya Singh in Mandi. Union Minister Anurag Thakur is in the fray from Hamirpur, actor-turned-politician Ravi Kishan is contesting from Gorakhpur and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew and Trinamool Congress candidate Abhishek Banerjee is contesting from Diamond Harbour.
Himachal Pradesh: Polling Underway In Six Assembly Seats
Six assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh will also go for by-polls on June 1. The outcome will have a bearing on the Congress government in the state. All six seats going to the polls were held by Congress and MLAs from these seats cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha polls.
The seven States in which polling is scheduled include Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and the Union Territory of Chandigarh. Polling for the remaining 42 Assembly Constituencies of the Odisha State Legislative Assembly will also take place simultaneously.
Polling for the earlier six phases of Lok Sabha elections was held on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20 and May 25. Assembly polls have also been held in Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. Odisha is seeing simultaneous polls to Lok Sabha and assembly in the last four phases.
