World's biggest electoral exercise begins, 62% turnout in phase 1

NT Corresponedent

New Delhi: A voter turnout of over 62 per cent was recorded in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections covering 102 seats across 21 states and Union territories amid sporadic incidents of violence at some places and an accidental explosion of a grenade launcher shell in Chhattisgarh that left a CRPF jawan dead.

The Election Commission said polling for the first and biggest phase of the seven-phase elections remained largely peaceful.

The National Democratic alliance (NDA) under Prime Minister Modi is seeking a stronger majority for a third consecutive term, while the constituents of the opposition INDIA bloc are hoping for a rebound after facing reverses in the 2014 and 2019 elections.

Tripura recorded the highest turnout of 79.90 per cent, followed by West Bengal at 77.57, Puducherry 73.25 per cent, Assam 71.38 and Meghalaya 70.26 per cent.

Voters in six districts of eastern Nagaland stayed indoors following an indefinite shutdown call by an apex body of tribal organisations to press for its demand for a separate state.

Tamil Nadu, where the BJP is trying to make inroads, was among the seven states and three Union territories where polling was held for all the seats.

Assembly elections were also held simultaneously in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.

The tentative figure of voter turnout till 7 pm is likely to go upwards when reports from all polling stations are obtained, the EC said, adding voters reaching polling stations till the end of polling hour are allowed to cast their vote.

Minor EVM glitches were reported at some booths in Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Assam.

In Bengal, polling was marred by violence in Cooch Behar seat. TMC and BJP workers clashed and lodged 80 and 39 complaints respectively.

Vandalism, shooting breaks out during voting in Inner Manipur constituency

Incidents of violence were reported in the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha constituency during the first phase of polling in the general elections on Friday, amid tight security measures in the northeastern state.

Very low voter turnout in six districts of eastern Nagaland amid shutdown over statehood demand

Polling stations in six districts of eastern Nagaland recorded a very low voter turnout on Friday amid a shutdown call by the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation, a pressure group representing the state’s backward hilly regions, to push its statehood demand, PTI reported. The group had imposed an indefinite total shutdown in the region from 6 pm on Thursday.