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Sat, 01 June 2024
Exit polls deeply unscientific: Tharoor
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23:38 Exit polls deeply unscientific: Tharoor
After the exit polls predicted a third straight win for the Bharatiya Janata Party including a huge gain in the south, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor termed the predictions 'deeply unscientific' and said they are instead interested in the votes of people.
He also said that Bharatiya Janata Party won't be making gains in Kerala and Tamil Nadu and will lose 'significantly' in Karnataka.
Speaking to the reporters, Tharoor said, "We have been travelling throughout the country campaigning and have a sense of what is the reality on the ground. Exit polls are deeply unscientific. Last year, the majority of exit polls got the results wrong in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. What we are interested in is the real poll- the votes of the public is going to decide our political future."
"BJP will lose significantly in Karnataka and they certainly won't gain in Kerala and Tamil Nadu," he added.
Tharoor is also the Congress party's candidate from Thiruvananthapuram. He is pitted against BJP candidate and Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar. -- ANI
23:08 BJP 'misused' administration in UP: Akhilesh Yadav
Samajwadi Party
president Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of misusing
the administration in Uttar Pradesh and said the Election Commission was
slow in taking action.
In a press statement issued from the SP
headquarters, former UP chief minister Yadav alleged, "Today, when it
was the last phase of voting, the BJP did not stop its habitual misuse
of the administration."
Giving the example of booths of Mirzapur and
Barhaj of Deoria district, he said many complaints have been registered
against the BJP for intimidating the voters, obstructing voting and
threatening or chasing away the polling agents on the strength of
power.
Yadav said, "At many places, Samajwadi Party workers were
misbehaved with and arrested. The administration's intention was to not
let Samajwadi Party supporters vote."
Expressing dissatisfaction,
the SP chief said, "It is regrettable that the Election Commission was
very slow in taking action. The lack of transparency that should have
been seen in the work of the Commission for free and fair elections puts
a question mark on the democratic systems."
However, he also said
at present, the public is aware and they resisted at many places.
Yadav claimed that the wind that blew from the west in favour of
Samajwadi PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak)-INDIA alliance to save the
Constitution and democracy turned into a tsunami in the seventh phase. All sections of the society, including farmers, youth, businessmen,
teachers, employees and advocates voted to remove the BJP.
Expressing gratitude to the voters, he said on the last voting day of
the seventh phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024, the voters completely
vented out their entire anger to remove the BJP from power by voting
against it.
Yadav said, "Along with writing the script of BJP's
defeat, the voters paved the way for the Samajwadi Party and INDIA
alliance to come to power at the Centre."
"Today, the BJP was
completely wiped out in Maharajganj, Gorakhpur, Kushinagar, Deoria,
Bansgaon, Ghosi, Salempur, Ballia, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Varanasi,
Mirzapur and Robertsganj Lok Sabha constituencies. Even in the prime
minister's constituency Varanasi, the voters showed extreme indifference
towards him," he added. -- PTI
22:22 Axis My India, Todays Chanakya give NDA 400 seats
Two of the most awaited exit polls, by Axis My Indi and Today's Chanakya, have finally put out their exit poll results for the Lok Sabha elections.
According to them, the NDA is scheduled to win 400 seats.
While the India Today-Axis My India exit poll gave the NDA 361-401 seats and INDIA bloc 131-166 seats, the News 24-Today's Chanakya exit poll has give the NDA 400 seats, and 107 seats to INDIA.
22:14 EC provides central forces to prevent post-poll violence
Acting tough on post-poll violence, the Election Commission has provided central forces to various states beyond the June 4 counting day to prevent any incidents based on the assessment provided by them as well as central observers, sources said on Saturday.
Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal have been provided with security forces for 15 days after the counting day.
Similarly, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh have been provided security forces till two days after the counting day, the sources said.
Along with Lok Sabha elections, assembly polls were also held in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
The counting of votes in assembly elections in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh will take place on June 2. -- PTI
22:00 56 deaths due to heat stroke recorded in India in last 3 months
India has recorded 56 deaths from 24,849 suspected
cases of heat stroke between March and May, according to data by the
Union health ministry.
According to the data compiled by the
National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), 46 of these deaths were
recorded in May alone (till May 30).
Between May 1 and 30, 19,189
suspected heat stroke cases were reported in the country, it said.
The
data does not include deaths from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi and
the final numbers are expected to be higher, a source said.
Heatwave
conditions have gripped large swathes of the country. India on Friday
alone reported at least 40 suspected heat-related deaths, 25 of them of
staff deployed on Lok Sabha poll duty in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
According to officials, heat-related deaths were reported from Odisha
(10), Bihar (8), Jharkhand (4) and Uttar Pradesh (1) on Thursday also.
Rajasthan has reported at least five heat-related deaths so far.
According to health ministry data, Madhya Pradesh saw 14 confirmed
deaths due to heat-related illnesses over the last three months followed
by Maharashtra with 11.
"Reports on heat stroke deaths are being
awaited from states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi. Some states
have reported issues in data entry. The data visible may not be final
submission from states. So the numbers are expected to be higher than
this," an official source said.
According to National Centre for
Disease Control (NCDC), the cause of death should be certified as heat
stroke or hyperthermia where the measured antemortem body temperature at
the time of collapse was more than or equal to 40.6 degrees Celsius.
'Autopsy Findings in Heat Related Deaths', a set of guidelines released
by the NCDC in March, defined heat-related death as a death in which
exposure to high ambient temperature either caused the loss of life or
significantly contributed to it.
Deaths may also be certified as heat
stroke or hyperthermia with lower body temperatures when cooling has
been attempted prior to arrival at the hospital or when there is a
clinical history of mental status changes and elevated liver and muscle
enzymes, the document stated.
It also said that in cases where the
antemortem body temperature cannot be established but the environmental
temperature at the time of collapse was high, an appropriate
heat-related diagnosis should be listed as the cause of death or as a
significant contributing condition. -- PTI
21:29 Exit polls show major gains for BJP in Karnataka
Exit polls on Saturday predicted the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) winning most of the seats in Congress-ruled Karnataka in the Lok Sabha elections and the Congress not putting up a good show.
Voting for 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka was held in two phases. While 14 seats polled on April 26, the remaining 14 voted on May 7. The counting of votes is scheduled for June 4.
The exit polls predicted a big lead for NDA in Karnataka, while INDIA bloc is likely to get 3-8 seats according to the exit polls.
The India Today-Axis My India poll predicted NDA getting 23-25 seats, INDIA bloc 3-5 seats and others failing to open its account in the Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka.
The India TV exit poll said that the NDA is poised to win 19-25 seats in Karnataka, while the INDIA bloc is to get 4-8 seats.
The exit poll done by News18 predicted that NDA will get 23-26 seats and INDIA bloc will get 3-7 seats in Karnataka.
The two major contesting alliances in Karnataka are the National Democratic Alliance and the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance.
The Congress came to power in Karnataka in 2023 but the exit polls predict the dismal performance of the ruling party in the state.
In the 2019 elections, the BJP swept the state by winning 25 out of 28 seats. Congress and JD-S -- who were in coalition in the state government -- could only win one seat each.
This time BJP and JD-S are in coalition with the former fighting on 25 seats, while the latter is contesting on three seats.
20:58 Counting of votes to begin at 8 am on June 4
The counting of votes for the Lok Sabha elections and state assemblies of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha and the assembly by-polls will commence at 8 am on June 4, the Election Commission said on Saturday.
The counting of votes for the assembly polls in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh will start from 6 am on Sunday, it said.
The counting of votes for the assembly polls in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh was advanced from June 4 to June 2 as the term of the two assemblies are ending on June 2 and a new House has to be constituted by that day.
In a statement on Saturday, the Election Commission also shared a set of latest instructions issued by it on counting arrangements, counting procedure and storage of EVMs and paper trail machines.
According to one of the instructions, as per Rule 54A of the Conduct of Elections Rules, 1961, the counting of postal ballot papers will be started first at the returning officer's table.
The local display of the trends and results by the chief electoral officers of states, returning officers and district election officers will also be done through digital display panels.
20:29 Modi's first reaction to exit poll numbers
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reacts to the exit polls numbers.
"I can say with confidence people of India have voted in record numbers to reelect the National Democratic Alliance government," Modi said.
He said that 'opportunistic INDI Alliance' failed to strike a chord with voters, called it casteist, communal and corrupt.
"Through poll campaign, opposition alliance only enhanced its expertise in Modi-bashing; people rejected such regressive politics," Modi said. -- PTI
20:10 6 exit polls give NDA clean sweep
To consolidate the results, six exit polls so far have given the ruling National Democratic Alliance a clean sweep of over 300 seats.
- India News-D Dynamics gives NDA 371 seats and INDIA just 125 seats.
- Jan Ki Baat gives NDA 362-392 seats and 141-161 seats to INDIA.
- R Bharat Matrize gives NDA 353-368 seats and 118-133 seats to INDIA.
- Republic TV-P Marq gives 359 seats to NDA and 154 seats to INDIA.
- News Nation gives 342-378 seats to NDA and 153-169 seats to INDIA.
- Dainik Bhaskar gives a wide margin of 281-350 seats to NDA and 145-201 seats to INDIA.
More exit poll results as they come in.
19:37 Exit polls predict 350+ for BJP; INDIA far behind
Two more pollsters give NDA over 350 seats.
News Nation
NDA: 342-378
INDIA: 153-169
Others: 21-23Dainik Bhaskar
NDA: 291-350
INDIA: 145-201
Others: 33-49
19:06 Jan Ki Baat exit poll too predicts NDA sweep
Another exit poll, the 5th, has reflected the wide sweep for the Modi government.
Jan Ki Baat gives 362-392 seats to the NDA, and 141-161 seas to the INDIA bloc.
18:51 Axis My India exit poll gives BJP 2-3 seats in Kerala
The India Today-Axis My India Exit Poll shows the BJP sweeping Karnataka, where it lost the assembly election last year, and more importantly, winning 2-3 seats in Kerala, where it has never won a Lok Sabha seats before.
According to the exit poll, the BJP will win 20-22 seats in Karnataka while Congress will win 3-5 seats. The JD-S is likely to win 3 seats.
In Kerala, the BJP is seen to win 2-3 seats, while the Congress will win 13-14 seats. The ruling LDF is seen to win just 1 seat.
18:46 More exit polls numbers are in
More exit poll numbers are in. The National Democratic Alliance scoring 350+ in almost all surveys.
TV5 Telugu
NDA-359
INDIA-154
Others-30
Republic Bharat-Matrize
NDA-353-368
INDIA-118-133
Others-43-48
18:39 First exit polls predict a BJP sweep
The first exit polls are in, here are the numbers.
India News-D Dynamics
NDA-371
INDIA-125
Others-47
Republic Bharat-P Marq
NDA-359
INDIA-154
Others-30
More details awaited
18:13 Voting concludes in Lok Sabha elections 2024
JUST IN: The seven-phase Lok Sabha elections 2024 conclude.
Counting of votes on June 4.
More details awaited. -- ANI
IMAGE: The polling party seals the EVMs as the voting for the Lok Sabha elections concludes, at a polling booth in Jamtara, Jharkhand. Photograph: ANI on X
18:05 INDIA bloc to get over 295 seats: Kharge
Indian Natinoal Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) parties will get more than 295 seats in the Lok Sabha polls, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on Saturday, asserting that they had arrived at the figure after feedback from people.
Addressing reporters here after a meeting of top leaders of the opposition bloc at his residence in New Delhi, Kharge said the leaders of the alliance met for about two and a half hours and discussed a host of issues, especially the precautions to be taken on counting day and the instructions they have to give to their parties' workers.
Votes for the seven-phase general elections will be counted on June 4.
Targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party, he said, "They are trying to give a narrative through government exit polls and we want to tell the people the truth."
"The INDIA bloc will get more than 295 seats. We have arrived at this figure after speaking with all our leaders," Kharge said.
"This is a survey of the people. The people have given this information to our leaders. The government surveys are there and their media friends also inflate figures and put it out. Therefore, we want to tell you about the reality," the Congress president said.
INDIA bloc parties have also given instructions to their workers about Form 17 C and not to get out of the counting hall till he or she gets the certificate of election, he said.
Senior leaders of the Congress, the Samajwadi Party, the Communist Party pf India-Marxist, the Communist Party of India, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, the Aam Aadmi Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray and the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar met at Kharge's residence on Saturday afternoon and held discussions, even as the last phase of polling was underway.
Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had already said they would not attend the meeting as there were elections in the state.
People's Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti did not attend the meeting due to personal reasons. Opposition leaders who attended the meeting included Sharad Pawar, Akhilesh Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav, Anil Desai, Sitaram Yechury, Arvind Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann, Sanjay Singh, Raghav Chadha, Champai Soren, Kalpana Soren, T R Baalu, Farooq Abdullah, D Raja and Mukesh Sahani. Congress leaders Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and K C Venugopal were also present at the meeting. -- PTI
17:14 Oppn to take part in TV debates on exit polls
INDIA bloc parties on Saturday announced that they will participate in the exit poll debates on television this evening after the grouping's top leaders met and deliberated on the issue at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence.
The development came a day after the Congress said it has decided not to participate in any Lok Sabha exit poll debates on television channels. The party does not want to indulge in speculation and slugfest for TRP, it had said.
Congress's media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said INDIA bloc parties met and decided to expose the BJP and its ecosystem on the prefixed exit polls.
"After considering factors for and against participating in the exit polls, it has been decided by consensus that all the INDIA (bloc) parties will participate in the exit poll debates on television this evening," he said in a post on X.
On Friday, Khera had said people have cast their votes and their verdict has been secured.
"The results will be out on 4th June. Prior to that, we do not see any reason to indulge in speculation and slugfest for TRP," he had said in a statement shared on X. "The Indian National Congress will not participate in the debates on exit polls. The purpose of any debate should be to inform the people. We will happily partake in debates from June 4 onwards," Khera had said.
16:24 Phase 7: Nearly 50% voting recorded till 3 pm
A voter turnout of 49.68 per cent was recorded till 3 pm on Saturday in the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha polls, the Election Commission (EC) said.
Polling is being held for 57 constituencies spread across seven states and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, including Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third consecutive term in the Lok Sabha.
The voting is being held in all 13 seats of Punjab and four of Himachal Pradesh, 13 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, nine in West Bengal, eight in Bihar, six in Odisha and three in Jharkhand, besides Chandigarh. Polling for the remaining 42 Assembly constituencies in Odisha and bypolls to six Assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh are also taking place simultaneously.
Till 3 pm, the approximate polling percentage was 49.68, according to the EC's voter-turnout app.
A voter turnout of nearly 60.14 per cent was recorded in Jharkhand. Uttar Pradesh logged a polling percentage of 46.83, West Bengal 58.46, Bihar 42.95 and Himachal Pradesh 58.41.
Punjab recorded a voter turnout of 46.38 per cent till 3 pm while Chandigarh registered a voting percentage of 52.61. Odisha recorded around 49.77 per cent voting.
Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from West Bengal as TMC and BJP workers clashed in various parts of the Jadavpur and Diamond Harbour constituencies. -- PTI
16:03 Modi concludes 45-hour long meditation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday concluded his 45-hour long meditation at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial here and paid floral tributes to Tamil saint poet Thiruvalluvar.
On conclusion of his dhyan session, Modi, clad in white, visited the 133-ft statue of Thiruvalluvar, located next to the rock memorial and placed a huge garland there marking his tribute. He arrived at the statue complex by a ferry service and later reached the shore using the service.
During his stay at the memorial, the PM did meditation and also performed 'Surya Arghya' at the time of sunrise, a ritual associated with spiritual practice.
Modi was clad in saffron while he was engaged in meditation at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial.
Kanyakumari is famous for its sunrise and sunset and the memorial is located on a tiny islet near the shoreline.
At the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, the PM embarked on his 45-hour long meditation on the evening of May 30 and completed it on Saturday.
15:30 Death toll in Mizoram landslides rises to 29: Official
The death toll in landslides in Mizoram climbed to 29 after the body of a 34-year-old woman was found in Tlawng River in Kolasib district, officials said.
The woman, identified as Vanlalruali, and her husband had been missing after being hit by a landslide in Aibawk village in Aizawl district on Tuesday.
The woman's body was found in the river in Hortoki village in Kolasib district, which borders Assam, on Friday, they said.
Her body was taken to Kawnpui after being fished out of the river and her family members confirmed her identity.
Search for five other missing persons -- four of whom are from Melthum, including a six-month-old, besides Vanlalruali's husband -- is underway.
The deaths were reported in multiple landslides in Aizawl district on Tuesday. Of the deceased, 21 were locals while eight were migrants from Jharkhand and Assam.
Chief Minister Lalduhoma announced an ex-gratia amount of Rs 4 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased.
He said the government has earmarked Rs 15 crore to tackle disasters triggered by rain caused by Cyclone Remal. -- PTI
15:24 SC reconstitutes committee on gender sensitisation
The Supreme Court has reconstituted its Gender Sensitisation and Internal Complaints Committee.
"In exercise of powers conferred by Clause 4(2) of the Gender Sensitisation and Sexual Harassment of Women at the Supreme Court of India (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Regulations, 2013 and all enabling provisions in this behalf, Hon'ble Chief Justice of India has been pleased to re-constitute the Supreme Court Gender Sensitisation and Internal Complaints Committee," an office order said.
The 12-member committee is headed by top court judge Hima Kohli, who is the chairperson.
The panel also comprises Justice B V Nagarathna, Additional Registrar Sukhda Pritam and senior advocates Meenakshi Arora and Mahalakshmi Pavani.
Advocate and representative of the Supreme Court Bar Association, as stipulated under Clause 4(2)(c), Soumyajit Pani, advocate-on-record Anindita Pujari, advocate Madhu Chauhan, professor Shruti Pandey, senior advocates Jaideep Gupta and Menaka Guruswamy and Leni Chaudhuri, executive director, University of Chicago Centre in India, are the other members of the committee. -- PTI
15:03 TMC, PDP to skip INDIA bloc meet in Delhi today
Top leaders of the INDIA bloc will meet here on Saturday to discuss their strategy for the counting of votes on June 4, even as the Trinamool Congress and the People's Democratic Party are set to skip the meeting.
Senior leaders of the Congress, the Communist Party of India-Marxist, the CPI, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the Aam Aadmi Party, the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Shiv Sena-UBT and the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharad Pawar will hold discussions at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence this afternoon.
TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has already said they will not attend the meeting as there are elections in the state, while PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti is likely to skip the meeting.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann are also likely to attend the meeting, besides senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and K C Venugopal.
DMK supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said party leader T R Baalu will attend the meeting.
"June 4th will mark the beginning of a new dawn for India. In today's meeting of INDIA bloc leaders, DMK will be represented by our party Treasurer and leader of DMK's Parliamentary Party, Thiru. T.R. Baalu avl," Stalin said in a post on 'X.'
Kharge had said this was an informal meeting where they would only discuss what kind of preparations they should have on the day of counting and how people should be alert, whether it is about the EVMs or the use of Form 17C.
RJD's Tejashwi Yadav
14:41 Final LS phase: Over 40% voting recorded till 1 pm
A voter turnout of 40.09 per cent was recorded till 1 pm on Saturday in the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha polls, the Election Commission (EC) said.
Polling is being held for 57 constituencies spread across seven states and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, including Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third consecutive term in the Lok Sabha.
The voting is being held in all 13 seats of Punjab and four of Himachal Pradesh, 13 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, nine in West Bengal, eight in Bihar, six in Odisha and three in Jharkhand, besides Chandigarh. Polling for the remaining 42 Assembly constituencies in Odisha and bypolls to six Assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh are also taking place simultaneously.
Till 1 pm, the approximate polling percentage was 40.09, according to the EC's voter-turnout app.
A voter turnout of nearly 46.8 per cent was recorded in Jharkhand till 1 pm. Uttar Pradesh logged a polling percentage of 39.31, West Bengal 45.07, Bihar 35.65 and Himachal Pradesh 48.63.
Punjab recorded a voter turnout of 37.8 per cent in the first six hours of polling while Chandigarh registered a voting percentage of 40.14. Odisha recorded around 37.64 per cent voting till 1 pm.
Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from West Bengal as Trinamool Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party workers clashed in various parts of the Jadavpur and Diamond Harbour constituencies.
Clashes broke out between supporters of the TMC, ISF and BJP in Jadavpur as the parties alleged that their polling agents were stopped from entering booths.
A confrontation erupted in Bhangar within the Jadavpur constituency between (TMC) and Indian Secular Front (ISF) supporters, with allegations of crude bombs being hurled from both sides.
Police intervention ensued, triggering protests as both factions accused each other.
To quell the situation, security personnel resorted to a lathicharge and seized several crude bombs. -- PTI
14:29 Govt dismisses CRPF DIG on sexual misconduct charges
The Union government has dismissed a CRPF DIG from service on charges of sexual misconduct levelled against him by some women personnel of the country's largest paramilitary force, officials said on Saturday.
An order from the President of India's office for "dismissal from service" was issued on May 30 against Deputy Inspector General (DIG) and former sports officer of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Khajan Singh.
The dismissal from service is effective from May 31, the order said.
The final order for dismissal came after the CRPF served two show-cause notices, approved by the home ministry and Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), to the officer over the last few months.
Singh, who was posted in Navi Mumbai under the western sector of the force, had denied the allegations of sexual harassment and claimed that they were "absolutely false" and made to spoil his "image".
The show-cause notices were issued against the officer after the home ministry accepted the UPSC's recommendations that were made after a probe conducted by the CRPF found him "guilty" of the sexual harassment charges levelled against him a few years ago.
The CRPF headquarters had earlier accepted the probe report prepared by an internal committee and forwarded it to the UPSC and home ministry for appropriate disciplinary action.
The officer faced the charges in two cases.
Singh has served as the chief sports officer of the CRPF and won a silver medal at the 1986 Seoul Asian Games in the 200-metre butterfly event, which was India's first medal in swimming at the tournament since its 1951 edition.
The CRPF, an about-3.25-lakh-personnel-strong force, first inducted women in combat ranks in 1986. It has six all-female battalions currently with an overall strength of about 8,000 personnel. -- PTI
13:43 Mehbooba likely to skip INDIA bloc meeting in Delhi
People's Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti said Saturday she is likely to skip the opposition INDIA bloc meeting to be held in New Delhi later in the day due to personal reasons.
"I may not go as my mom has undergone an eye surgery," she told PTI.
Top leaders of the opposition grouping will be meeting in the national capital in the afternoon to assess their performance in the Lok Sabha election and chalk out their strategy ahead of the results.
Both the National Conference (NC) and PDP were invited to the INDIA bloc meeting. NC president Farooq Abdullah left for New Delhi from Srinagar on Saturday morning.
TMC's Abhishek Banerjee
12:36 Voter turnout at 26.30% till 11 am during Phase 7
A voter turnout of 26.30 per cent was recorded till 11 am on Saturday in the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha polls, the Election Commission (EC) said.
Polling is being held for 57 constituencies spread across seven states and the Union Territory of Chandigarh.
The voting is being held in all 13 seats of Punjab and four of Himachal Pradesh, 13 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, nine in West Bengal, eight in Bihar, six in Odisha and three in Jharkhand, besides Chandigarh. Polling for the remaining 42 Assembly constituencies in Odisha and bypolls to six Assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh are also taking place simultaneously.
Till 11 am, the approximate polling percentage was 26.30, according to the EC's voter-turnout app.
A voter turnout of nearly 29.55 per cent was recorded in Jharkhand till 9 am. Uttar Pradesh logged a polling percentage of 28.02, West Bengal 28.1, Bihar 24.25 and Himachal Pradesh 31.92.
Punjab recorded a voter turnout of 23.91 per cent in the first four hours of polling while Chandigarh registered a voting percentage of 25.03. Odisha recorded around 22.64 per cent voting till 11 am.
Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from West Bengal as TMC and BJP workers clashed in various parts of the Jadavpur and Diamond Harbour constituencies.
12:08 Sporadic violence mars final phase of voting in WB
Sporadic incidents of violence marred the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha polls in the nine parliamentary constituencies, as TMC and BJP workers clashed in various parts of violence-prone Jadavpur, Diamond Harbour constituencies.
Although the poll panel has claimed that the polling has been peaceful so far, it said it has received 1,450 complaints until 11 am from different political parties alleging EVM malfunctions and agents being stopped from entering booths.
Around 28.10 per cent of over 1.63 crore voters exercised their franchise in the first two hours of polling to nine Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal on Saturday, an Election Commission official said.
Clashes broke out between supporters of the TMC, ISF and the BJP in Jadavpur constituency as both parties clashed over stopping polling agents from entering the booths.
A confrontation erupted in Bhangar within the Jadavpur constituency between backers of Trinamool Congress and the Indian Secular Front (ISF), with allegations of crude bombs being hurled from both sides.
Police intervention ensued, triggering protests as both factions accused each other.
To quell the situation, security personnel resorted to a lathi charge to disperse the mob, recovering several crude bombs.
Angry voters of Kultuli within Joynagar constituency took drastic measures by hurling electronic voting machines (EVMs) and Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VV-PAT) machines into nearby waterbodies. Their actions were fueled by feelings of electoral misconduct, reflecting their frustration over perceived voting restrictions. -- PTI
11:53 Modi embarks on Day 3 of meditation in Kanyakumari
Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on his third and final day of meditation here on Saturday, after performing the 'Surya Arghya' during sunrise at the Vivekananda Rock Memorial here, officials said.
Modi carried out 'Surya Arghya,' a ritual associated with spiritual practice involving salutations to the Almighty, manifested in the form of sun.
The PM poured little water from a traditional, beaker-like small vessel into the sea as an offering (Arghya) and prayed using his prayer beads (Japa mala), they said.
Modi was clad in saffron and also paid floral tributes to a statue of Swami Vivekananda, they added.
He walked around the mandapam with his 'japa mala' in his hands.
Kanyakumari is famous for its sunrise and sunset and the memorial is located on a tiny islet near the shoreline. At the Vivekananda Rock Memorial, the PM embarked on meditation on the evening of May 30 and he is scheduled to complete it on the evening of Saturday. -- PTI
BJP's candidate Kangana Ranaut
10:59 7th phase: 11.31% voter turnout reported till 9 am
In the seventh and final phase of the general election on Saturday, polling is being held for 57 constituencies spread across seven states and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, including Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third consecutive term in the Lok Sabha.
The voting is being held in all 13 seats of Punjab and four of Himachal Pradesh, 13 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, nine in West Bengal, eight in Bihar, six in Odisha and three in Jharkhand, besides Chandigarh.
Polling for the remaining 42 Assembly constituencies in Odisha and bypolls to six Assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh are also taking place simultaneously.
Till 9 am, the approximate polling percentage was 11.31 per cent, according to the Election Commission's (EC) voter-turnout app.
A voter turnout of nearly 12.15 per cent was recorded in Jharkhand till 9 am. Uttar Pradesh logged a polling percentage of 12.94, West Bengal 12.63, Bihar 10.58 and Himachal Pradesh 14.35.
Punjab recorded a voter turnout of 9.64 per cent in the first two hours of polling while Chandigarh registered a voting percentage of 11.64. Odisha recorded around 7.69 per cent voting till 9 pm.
The voting began at 7 am. Voters were seen standing in queues in front of polling booths since early in the morning among severe heatwave conditions in several parts of the country. -- PTI
10:17 Rahul to voters: Deal final blow to this govt
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged people on Saturday to vote in large numbers and deal a "final blow" to "this government which has become a symbol of arrogance and tyranny".
Gandhi pointed out that the seventh and final phase of voting for the general election is being held on Saturday and claimed that according to the trends so far, the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) of opposition parties is going to form the next government in the country.
"I am proud that even in this scorching heat, all of you have come out to vote to protect democracy and the Constitution," the former Congress president said in a post in Hindi on X.
"Even today, come out in large numbers and give your vote as a 'final blow' to this government, which has become a symbol of arrogance and tyranny," he said.
The sun of June 4, when the poll results are scheduled to be announced, is going to bring a new dawn in the country, Gandhi added.
Noting that this is the last phase of polling for the parliamentary election, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra claimed that it is clear by now that the INDIA bloc is going to form its government.
"Your maximum participation will make INDIA stronger. Vote in large numbers on the basis of your experience, your conscience, your issues. Vote for your Constitution, your democracy and help form a government that works only for you," she said.
In the seventh and final phase of the general election, polling is being held for 57 constituencies spread across seven states and the Union Territory of Chandigarh, including Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third consecutive term in the Lok Sabha. -- PTI
09:54 Let's make our democracy more vibrant: Modi to voters
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday urged people to vote in large numbers as polling for the last phase of Lok Sabha elections began.
"Together, let's make our democracy more vibrant and participative," the prime minister said on X.
Polling is being held in 57 seats, including in all constituencies of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh besides a few in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand.
Modi's parliamentary constituency Varanasi is also voting on Saturday.
"Today is the final phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. As 57 seats across 8 states and UTs go to the polls, calling upon the voters to turnout in large numbers and vote. I hope young and women voters exercise their franchise in record numbers," he said. -- PTI
09:38 Raghav Chadha gets 'first voter' certificate
AAP MP Raghav Chadha shows his inked finger and 'first voter in the booth' certificate after casting his vote at a polling station in Lakhnaur, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar under the Anandpur Sahib constituency.
09:22 Taranjit Singh Sandhu votes
Former diplomat and BJP candidate from Amritsar constituency, Taranjit Singh Sandhu casts his vote at a polling booth in the constituency.
09:20 Expect people come in large numbers to vote: Bhajji
Former Indian cricketer and Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh casts his vote at a polling booth in Jalandhar.
"I expect that people come in large numbers to vote and I want maximum polling in Jalandhar. It is our duty and we should bring the government that we want, a government that can work for the people. I am not a VIP at all, the VIP culture should end. If one can stand in a queue for a langar, then one can stand here too," Singh said.
09:04 UP CM casts vote in Gorakhpur
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath casts vote in Gorakhpur
08:50 Porsche crash: Pune police arrest teen's mother
Pune police have arrested the mother of the juvenile in the Porsche car accident case after confirmation that his blood samples were replaced with those of his mother, the city police chief said on Saturday.
Commissioner of Police Amitesh Kumar said the accident investigation has revealed that the juvenile's blood samples were replaced with those of his mother.
Police had told a local court two days ago that the blood samples of the juvenile were exchanged with those of a woman.
Two IT professionals were killed in the early hours of May 19 in Kalyani Nagar in Pune after a Porsche allegedly being driven by the drunk minor rammed into their two wheeler.
While the 17-year-old minor has been sent to an observation home, his father, realtor Vishal Agarwal and grandfather Surendra Agarwal have been arrested for allegedly kidnapping the family's driver and putting pressure on him to take the blame. -- PTI
08:36 7th phase: Voting underway in 57 seats, Modi in fray
Voting is underway in 57 parliamentary constituencies spanning eight states and Union Territories during the final phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections on Saturday.
The states where polling is being held are Bihar, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
Among the key candidates in the fray in the last phase include Prime Minisyter Narendra Modi (Varanasi), Kangana Ranaut (Mandi), Vikarmaditya Singh (Mandi), Jailed Sikh leader Amritpal Singh (Khadoor Sahib), former Punjab chief minister Charanjeet Singh Channi (Jalandhar), Lalu Prasad Yadav's daughter Misa Bharti (Pataliputra), and TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee (Diamond Harbour).
Polling for the remaining 42 assembly constituencies in Odisha will also take place simultaneously.
00:45 Influencer Kataria sent 33 people abroad on pretext of job offers: Police
Social media influencer Balwant alias Bobby Kataria, who has been arrested in a human trafficking case, sent 33 people abroad on the pretext of helping them secure jobs, police in Gurugram said on Friday.
Kataria, who was arrested by the Gurugram police on Monday, was produced in a city court on Friday on the expiry of his three-day police remand and was sent to judicial custody, they added.
The police had earlier recovered Rs 20 lakh cash and four mobile phones from his possession.
During his police remand, two more mobile phones and nine passports were seized from Kataria, they said.
"Kataria confessed that he used to cheat people by luring them with jobs in foreign countries, and going abroad, the victims were forced to commit cyber fraud," said a senior police officer.
Kataria along with his accomplice Manju Singh, who is yet to be arrested in the case, used to post job vacancies in foreign countries through their social media handles.
They also used to charge some amount from the victims, the officer said. -- PTI
00:35 Court to hear Arvind Kejriwal's interim bail plea today
A Delhi court is likely to hear on Saturday an application moved by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal seeking interim bail for a week on medical grounds in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise scam.
Special judge Kaveri Baweja had on May 30 directed the ED to file its response to Kejriwal's plea by June 1, when period of his interim bail, granted by the Supreme Court, ends.
The court had also directed the ED to file its response by June 7 to Kejriwal's plea seeking regular bail in the case.
The Supreme Court registry on Wednesday refused urgent listing of Kejriwal's plea seeking extension of his interim bail by seven days for undergoing certain medical tests, saying since he was given liberty to move the trial court for regular bail, the plea was not maintainable.
The AAP leader had sought extension of his interim bail to undergo a host of medical tests, including a PET-CT scan, in view of "sudden and unexplained weight loss coupled with high ketone levels", which are indicative of kidney, serious cardiac ailments and even cancer.
The top court had on May 10 granted 21-day interim bail to the chief minister to enable him to campaign during the Lok Sabha polls. -- PTI
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