The General Elections for the 18th Lok Sabha have concluded, marking the end of the world’s largest electoral exercise. The final phase, Phase 7, saw a voter turnout of approximately 59.45% as of 8:45 PM. This phase covered 57 parliamentary constituencies.
Elections were also completed for the State Legislative Assemblies in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha. The counting of votes for these assemblies will take place on June 2 for Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim, and on June 4 for Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. The Lok Sabha votes will also be counted on June 4.
The Election Commission of India expressed profound gratitude to voters, polling personnel, law enforcement agencies, security forces, volunteers, Indian Railways, and the Airforce for their roles in ensuring the success of the elections.
Polling was smooth and peaceful across all seven phases. The Commission, led by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, ensured a secure and fair voting environment, with a significant reduction in the need for repolls.
There were notable voter turnouts in several challenging areas. Jammu and Kashmir saw its highest voter turnout in 35 years, with 58.58%, including a notable 51.05% in the Kashmir Valley. In Bastar, Chhattisgarh, voter turnout reached 68.29% without any incidents of violence.
The elections also saw inclusive participation, with many senior citizens and persons with disabilities voting from home for the first time. Women’s participation was particularly high, with female turnout surpassing male turnout in the fifth and sixth phases.
In remote and tribal areas, significant participation was recorded. The Shompen tribe in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the Pahadi Korbas in North Chhattisgarh participated enthusiastically.
The Commission resolved over 87% of complaints on the cVigil app within 100 minutes, and the Suvidha platform ensured timely approval of requests from political parties and candidates.
The states and union territories that went to polls in this last phase were Bihar, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Punjab, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal, with a total of 904 candidates in the fray.
