First Phase Sees High Voter Turnout
The first phase of voting for India's Lok Sabha elections concluded on Friday, April 20th, with a voter turnout of nearly 64%. The polling took place across 102 parliamentary constituencies spread over 21 states and Union Territories.
Despite the scorching heat wave, voters turned out in large numbers, with Tripura recording the highest turnout at 80.17%. West Bengal followed closely with 77.57%, while Sikkim saw a turnout of 69.47%. The voting concluded at 6 pm in all 102 constituencies.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his gratitude to the voters, stating that the "excellent feedback" indicated a strong mandate for the NDA. The Election Commission of India (ECI) also reported that the first phase was largely peaceful, with only sporadic incidents of violence and firing reported in West Bengal and Manipur.
The first phase covered a diverse range of states and union territories, including Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry.
The Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases, starting from April 19th to June 1st. The results will be announced on June 4th. The second phase will be held on April 26th, followed by the remaining phases on May 7th, May 13th, May 20th, May 25th, and June 1st. The last general elections in 2019 were also held in seven phases.