The seventh and final phase of polling in the largest festival of democracy started on Saturday as voting started in the last 57 parliamentary constituencies at 7 am across seven states and the Union Territory of Chandigarh.
The seventh phase marks a grand finish to the world’s largest polling marathon that began on the 19th of last month and has already covered six phases and 486 Lok Sabha seats.
According to the Election Commission of India, over 10.06 crore electors including approximately 5.24 crore male, 4.82 crore female and 3574 third gender electors are expected to exercise their franchise.
A total of 904 candidates are in the fray for the final phase of polling. The prominent candidates in the fray in this phase include Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Ravi Shankar Prasad, Nishikant Dubey, Ravneet Singh Bittu, Congress leaders Manish Tewari, Charanjit Singh Channi, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Misa Bharti.
Six assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh will also go for by-polls on June 1. The outcome will have a bearing on the Congress government in the state. All six seats going to the polls were held by Congress and MLAs from these seats cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha polls.
The seven States in which polling is scheduled include Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and the Union Territory of Chandigarh. Polling for the remaining 42 Assembly Constituencies of the Odisha State Legislative Assembly will also take place simultaneously.
The ECI said that polling for 28 States/UTs and 486 parliamentary constituencies has been completed smoothly and peacefully. The counting of votes will take place on June 4.
The Commission has called upon voters to turn out in greater numbers at polling stations and vote with responsibility and pride.
13 Special trains and 8 helicopter sorties (for Himachal Pradesh) were deployed to ferry polling and security personnel, it said, adding that 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.
It added that 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.
Polling for the earlier six phases of Lok Sabha elections was held on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20 and May 25. Assembly polls have also been held in Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
(ANI)
