All set for final phase of Lok Sabha election with 57 constituencies to go for poll today

Adequate arrangements have been made for the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 as polling for 57 Parliamentary constituencies will be held today, Saturday.

For the final phase of the seven-phased Lok Sabha elections, polling will be held in eight states and Union Territories including Bihar, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

Polling for the remaining 42 Assembly Constituencies of the Odisha State Legislative Assembly will also take place simultaneously.

This will mark a grand finish to the world's largest polling marathon that began on the 19th of April and already covered 6 phases and 486 Lok Sabha seats.

Polling for 28 States/UTs and 486 Parliamentary Constituencies has been completed in a smooth and peaceful manner. The counting of votes will take place on the 4th of June.

Polling parties reached polling booths with materials and machines

According to the spokesperson of the Election Commission of India, polling parties have already been dispatched along with machines and poll materials to their respective polling stations.

Polling stations are ready to welcome the voters with all basic facilities including ample shade, drinking water, ramps, and toilets to ensure that polling takes place in a comfortable and secure environment.

Concerned CEOs and State machinery have been directed to take adequate measures to manage the adverse impact of hot weather or rainfall wherever predicted. Despite hot weather conditions, voters have turned up in huge numbers at the polling stations in the past six phases.

Females outnumbered males in the last two phases

In the last two phases, female voter turnout percentage has surpassed male voter turnout. The Commission has called upon voters to turn out in greater numbers at polling stations and vote with responsibility and pride.

In the sixth phase, the total voter turnout was 63.37 percent. The number of female voters was 64.95 percent while the voting percentage of males was 61.95 percent.

Facts about the seventh phase of polling:

•  Polling for Phase-7 of the General Elections 2024 will be held on the 1st of June, 2024 for 57 Parliamentary Constituencies (General- 41; ST- 03; SC-13) in 8 States/ UTs. Voting begins at 7 AM and the closure of poll timings may differ Lok Sabha-wise.
• 42 Assembly Constituencies of the Odisha Legislative Assembly will also go to polls simultaneously.
• Around 10.9 lakh Polling officials will welcome over 10.06 crore electors across 1.09 lakh polling stations
• Over 10.06 crore electors include approx. 5.24 crore males, 4.82 crore females, and 3574 third-gender electors.
• The optional Home Voting facility is available to 85+ and PwD electors.
• 13 Special trains and 8 helicopter sorties (for Himachal Pradesh) were deployed to ferry polling and security personnel.
• 172 Observers (64 General Observers, 32 Police Observers, 76 Expenditure Observers) have already reached their Constituencies days before the poll. They serve as the eyes and ears of the Commission to exercise utmost vigilance. Additionally, Special Observers have been deployed in certain states.
• A total of 2707 Flying Squads, 2799 Static Surveillance Teams, 1080 Surveillance Teams, and 560 Video Viewing Teams are keeping surveillance round the clock to strictly and swiftly deal with any form of inducement of voters.
• A total of 201 international Border check posts and 906 inter-state border check posts are keeping a strict vigil on any illicit flow of liquor, drugs, cash, and freebies. Strict surveillance has been kept at sea and air routes.
• Assured Minimum Facilities like water, shed, toilets, ramps, volunteers, wheelchairs, and electricity are in place to ensure that every voter, including the elderly and persons with disabilities, can cast their vote with ease.
• Voter Information Slips have been distributed to all registered voters. These slips serve as a facilitation measure and also as an invitation from the Commission to come and vote. But these are not essential for voting.

37 candidates in the fray for four Lok Sabha seats of HP

Thirty-seven candidates are in the fray for four Lok Sabha seats of Himachal Pradesh. Prominent among those who are contesting elections include Bollywood star Kangana Ranaut, who is fighting elections as BJP candidate from Mandi Lok Sabha seat. Congress has fielded local minister Vikramaditya Singh on this seat.

Senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Anand Sharma is contesting the election in Kangra Lok Sabha seat.

Ten candidates each are in the fray in Kangra and Mandi Lok Sabha seats while 12 candidates are fighting elections in the Hamirpur seat where Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur is a BJP candidate. Five candidates are in the fray for the Shimla Lok Sabha seat.