Election Commission anticipates increase in number as polling completes in 96 seats; scrutiny and repoll decisions await
Voters show their fingers marked with indelible ink after casting votes. Pic/PTI
The voter turnout in phase four of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections stood at 62.84 per cent at 8 pm on Monday against 65.51 per cent in 2019, a dip of over 2.5 percentage points. However, the Election Commission said a large number of voters were still in the queue at polling stations even after 6 pm, indicating the turnout would go up.
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As many as 96 seats went for polls in the fourth phase. After the latest phase, polling has completed in 379 seats across 23 states and Union territories. Polling also completed in state assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. In 2019 elections, turnout recorded in phase four stood at 65.51 per cent. Then, polling was held in 71 seats across nine states in phase four.
In phase one of the ongoing general elections, 66.14 per cent turnout was recorded. In the 2019 polls, the turnout in the first phase stood at 69.43 per cent. In the second phase of elections held on April 26, the turnout was recorded at 66.71 per cent against 69.64 per cent in phase two of 2019 polls. The updated voter turnout figures for the third phase of polling in the Lok Sabha elections stood at 65.68 per cent. In the third phase of 2019 general elections, the turnout stood at 68.4 per cent.
The poll panel said as per the laid down procedure, scrutiny of election papers takes place one day after the polling day in the presence of candidates or their authorised polling agents. The decision to conduct repoll, if any, is also taken thereafter. Some polling parties return after polling day depending on the geographical or logistical conditions. “The Commission will also, after the scrutiny and depending on the number/ schedule of repoll, publish the updated voter turnout along with gender wise breakup by May 17,” the EC said.
YSRCP MLA slaps man while waiting to vote
YSRCP leader A Sivakumar and a voter clash during voting. Pic/PTI
A ruling YSRCP MLA on Monday slapped a man waiting to cast his vote at a polling booth here only to receive it back himself. The MLA had hit the man who questioned him for jumping the queue. The incident occurred at Tenali in Guntur district when the local YSRCP MLA A Siva Kumar attempted to jump the queue and was questioned by one of the voters. In a fit of rage, the legislator slapped the man, who did not hold himself back and returned the favour.
Not pleased at the MLA being slapped, his supporters vented out their anger on the man. “He (the YSRCP MLA) was going to vote and he jumped the queue so somebody (voter) objected,” a police official told PTI about the incident which resulted in the skirmish.
Madhavi booked for burqa identity check
BJP candidate K Madhavi Latha was booked by after a video clip in which she was purportedly asking burqa-clad women Muslim voters to show their faces to compare with photo identity cards surfaced. Latha was seen asking the women voters at a polling booth to lift the burqa and show their face so that she could verify the identity. “A case is registered in Malakpet police station against Madhavi Latha, contesting candidate, BJP, under Sections 171C, 186, 505(1)(c) of IPC and Section 132 of the Representation of the People Act,” the Hyderabad Collector said on X.
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