Voters showing ink marked fingers after casting votes at a polling station at Bandhnabagram in Birbhum, West Bengal on Monday, (UNI Photo)
Fourth phase LS polls: 59.25 pc turnout in summer heat, stars in Mumbai, sporadic violence in Bengal
New Delhi, April 29, 2019: An estimated 59.25 per cent turnout of a 12 crore electorate was recorded on Monday till 1800 hrs in fourth phase of polling in 71 Lok Sabha constituencies spread across nine states in a by and large peaceful exercise of franchise.
Till 1800 hrs, 53.67 pc voting was recorded in Bihar (5seats), 9.79 in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag , 56.37 in Jharkhand (3 seats), 65.86 in Madhya Pradesh (6 seats), 51.28 in Maharashtra (17 seats), 64.05 pc in Odisha (6 seats), 62.93 pc in Rajasthan (13 seats), 53.12 in Uttar Pradesh (13 seats) and 76.47 per cent in West Bengal (8 seats).
Amidst sporadic skirmishes in which BJP MP from Asansol Babul Supriyo's car was vandalised, an estimated 76.47 per cent voting was witnessed till 1800 hrs in eight seats of Bengal. Election Commission has sought a report about the violence.
Baharampore recorded around 76.16 per cent polling, Krishnagar 76.55 per cent, Ranaghat 75.12 per cent, Bardhaman East 76.92 per cent, Bardhaman-Durgapur 75.31 per cent, Asansol 76.43 per cent, Bolpur 77.95 per cent and Birbhum 76.69 per cent till evening.
Heat wave conditions prevailing in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Bihar and Jharkhand, hindered the vote.
Sporadic violence was reported in Uttar Pradesh and Orissa and stone pelting incident in Valley.
Anantnag
Four youths were injured when security forces burst teargas shells and fired pellets to disperse demonstrators, who were trying to disrupt polling in Kulgam in the second phase of three phase election in Anantnag Parliamentary Constituency.
The first phase polling in Anantnag district recorded 13.6 per cent polling on April 23.
At some places many polling stations have not recorded any vote. A number of votes polled at Chawalgam polling booth, in Kulgam district which has four assembly segments--Noorabad, Kulgam, Homshalibug and Devsar.
Heat vs polling in UP
An estimated 53.12 per cent of the electorate exercised their franchise till 1800 hrs, amid by and large peaceful polling in the 13 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh braving scorching heat.
Shahjahanpur registered 45.12 , Kheri 60.14, Hardoi 54.80, Mishrikh 51.50, Unnao 53.40, Farrukhabad 53.83, Etawah 53.72, Kannauj 55.22, Kanpur 48.37, Akbarpur 51.40, Jalaun 53.55, Jhansi 56.54 and Hamirpur 56.
Reports of minor clashes were received from a few places in Shahjahanpur. Hardoi and Kannauj.
Minor clashes between the Bharatiya Janata Party and alliance workers were reported in Hardoi and Kannauj, though there was no disruption in the polling.
Former Union minister and Congress candidate from Dhaurahra Lok Sabha seat Jitin Prasada complained to the Election Commission after some one else voted in his sister's name in the Shahjahanpur Lok Sabha constituency during polling on Monday.
A report from Kanpur said that FIR has been registered against a BJP leader Suresh Awasthi for behaving rudely with a police officer at a polling booth in Kanpur city.
The Election officials refuted the charges of more than 100 EVMs malfunctioned in Kannauj as alleged by the Samajwadi Party.
Later, the SP submitted an application to the EC here alleging police misusing power to benefit the BJP candidate in Kannauj and claimed that around 25 to 30 EVMs malfunctioned in Kannauj Lok Sabha seat. The party has also demanded for removal of DGP O P Singh holding him responsible for the irregularities in polling in Kannauj.
A 48-year-old voter, Om Pal Singh, standing in the queue died following sun stroke under Badhauli police station at Umra polling booth under Hardoi Lok Sabha seat, reports said.
Instances of poll boycott were received from seven villages in Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat which included Pawai, Dumraha, Kharari and others over lack of development.
Poll boycott was also witnessed at Ballepurwa village under Tirwa assembly segment of Kannauj after the people were annoyed with the behaviour of the district officials.
Nath, Jr Nath
Braving the Indian summer, voters enthusiastically arrived at polling centres as exercise of franchise continued without incident on Monday amid tight security in Madhya Pradesh’s Sidhi, Shahdol, Mandla, Balaghat, Jabalpur and Chhindwara parliamentary constituencies and the Chhindwara Assembly segment – the average turnout was 65.86 till 1800 hrs.
Official sources said that the highest was approximately 73 per cent in Chhindwara; 69 pc in Balaghat, 67 pc Mandla, 66 pc Shahdol, 64 pc Jabalpur and 56 per cent in Sidhi.
The timings were 0700-1800 hrs. In Balaghat’s Naxalism-affected Baihar, Lanji and Paraswada voting concluded at 1600 hrs.
Congress citadel Chhindwara was the cynosure of all eyes as Chief Minister Kamal Nath’s son Nakul (Congress) is making his entry into the political arena by challenging the saffron side’s Mr Nathan Shah.
The Chhindwara Vidhan Sabha by-election is indeed a high-profile one as Mr K Nath (Cong) is trying his fortune – his first Assembly poll battle – against Mr Vivek Sahu (Bharatiya Janata Party).
Maximum city, max stars
An estimated 51.28 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 1800 hrs in Maharashtra.
The streets of Mumbai, became an arena of movie stars coming out enthusiastically to exercise their franchise. Veteran actor Rekha, Paresh Rawal, Anupam Kher and Amitabh Bachchan, writer Javed Akhtar and his actor wife Shabana Azmi, Madhuri Dixit, Aamir Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Urmila Matondkar and many more celebs cast their vote.
Industralist Anil Ambani, Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das, Congress leader Pooja Dutt and BJP candidate Poonam Mahajan also cast their vote.
Highest 45.50 per cent polling was registered in tribal areas of Nandurbar (ST) constituency, while the lowest 32.35 per cent was recorded in Kalyan in Thane, till 1600 hrs.
According to the official EC data, Dhule recorded 41.31 per cent polling, Dindori 46.10 per cent, Nashik 40.28 per cent, Palghar 36.44 per cent, Bhiwandi 40.11 per cent, Kalyan 32.35 per cent and Thane 36.07 per cent.
In Mumbai's six seats, the highest voting was 44.66 per cent, recorded in Mumbai North, where Bollywood actress Urmila Matondkar is pitted against BJP MP Gopal Shetty, while Mumbai's South recorded the lowest turnout of 38.91 per cent, where former union minister Milind M Deora is contesting against Shiv Sena's Arvind G Sawant.
The voting per cent till 1600 hrs were Mumbai's North West was 40.52 per cent, Mumbai North East 39.95 per cent, Mumbai North Central 38.17 per cent, Mumbai South Central 41.22 per cent, Maval: 41.30 per cent, Shirur 40.35 per cent and Shirdi 46.59 per cent and Begusarai
An estimated 53.67 per cent electorate exercised their franchise till 1800 hrs in constituencies where polling was in progress for 4th phase of Lok Sabha elections in Bihar.
The highest polling of 47 per cent was recorded in Munger followed by 46.80 per cent in Begusarai, 43.40 per cent in Darbhanga, 42 per cent in Samastipur and 41.21 per cent in Ujiarpur.
Meanwhile, a report from Samastipur said around 5,000 voters boycotted polling at booth no.- 210, 211, 212, 215 and 216 at Bhagrath Panchayat under Kalyanpur (reserved) assembly segment in Samastipur (reserved) Lok Sabha constituency in protest against non-revival of jute mill.
They boycotted polling to register their protest against non-revival of the jute mill at Muktapur, which had become non-functional two years ago.
Security forces kept strict vigil on trouble mongers and thwarted their sinister design to disturb the polling at Rampur village in Lakhisarai district of Munger Lok Sabha seat. Men in khakhi resorted to mild lathi charge to scare away the elements trying to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere.
Forces on duty quickly brought the situation under control by resorting to mild lathi charge when some elements started pelting stones on them. Polling, however, continued unhampered in the area.
Bihar’s Begusarai is witnessing a strong triangular contest between former JNU student leader and CPI candidate Kanhaiya Kumar, BJP’s fireband leader and Union Minister Giriraj Singh, and RJD veteran Tanveer Hasan.
Mining zone
An average voter turnout of 63.76 per cent has been recorded till 1800 hrs on the three Lok Sabha seats of Jharkhand Chatra, Lohardaga(ST) and Palamu (SC).
Constituency wise the voter turn out at Chatra has been recorded at 62.06 per cent, Lohardaga 63.56 per cent and Palamu 64.31 per cent. However, the figure is expected to move a few notches upwards as last minute details are still being included.
In the elections of 2014 the voter turnout at Chatra was 54.32 per cent, Lohardaga 58.21 per cent and Palamu 59.38 per cent.
Barring a few incidents of EVMs not working in some polling booths of Lohardaga, polling remained peaceful in the state. Prominent personalities who cast their votes included Union Minister Sudarshan Bhagat in Lohardaga, Rajya Sabha MP Dhiraj Sahu and Health Minister of state Ramchandra Chandravanshi in Palamu.
Battle of prestige
The Kendrapara seat has turned into a battle of prestige between the BJP and Biju Janata Dal. BJD rebel Baijayant Panda is seeking re-election from here.
Over 64.05 per cent turnout of voters was reported till 1800hrs in the fourth and last phase of election to six Lok sabha and 41 Assembly seats in Odisha.
Though no major incidents of violence were reported but poll rigging, delay in polling due to EVM malfunctioning and breaking of EVM machines marred the polling.
Tension prevailed in several places following clashes between supporters of rival political parties in Balasore, Kendrapara and Jajpur Lok Sabha constituencies.
There were reports about tension prevailing in Sukurpada in Mahanga Assmbly constituency during the visit of BJP Kendrapara Lok Sabha candidate Baijayanta Panda. Some BJD activists assaulted the BJP workers in the presence of Mr Panda.
Jodhpur
An overall 62.93 of 2.57 crore electorate cast their votes till 1800 hrs in 13 Lok Sabha seats of Rajasthan. Maximum voter percentage of 53.45 was registered in Barmer, followed by Jodhpur 46.41 per cent.
The voting began at 0700 hrs in the 13 constituencies of Tonk-Sawaimadhopur, Ajmer, Pali, Jodhpur, Barmer, Jalore, Udaipur, Banswara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Bhilwara, Kota and Jhalawar-Baran, according to the office of the chief electoral officer.
Jodhpur was one of the most talked about seats where Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's son Vaibhav is pitted against Union minister of state and MP Gajendra Singh Shekhwat.(agency)