Voting for the 6th phase of the Lok Sabha elections commenced today on 58 seats across six states and two Union Territories, including Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir. The polling is taking place in 14 seats in Uttar Pradesh, all 10 seats in Haryana, 7 seats in Delhi, 8 seats each in Bihar and West Bengal, 6 seats in Odisha, 4 seats in Jharkhand, and 1 seat in Jammu & Kashmir. Additionally, polling is being held for 42 assembly constituencies in Odisha.
Prominent candidates in this phase include Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Rao Inderjit Singh, and Krishan Pal Gurjar, as well as BJP’s Maneka Gandhi, Sambit Patra, Abhijit Gangopadhyay, Manohar Lal Khattar, and Manoj Tiwari. Other notable candidates include PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and Congress leaders Deepender Singh Hooda, Raj Babbar, and Kanhaiya Kumar.
The Election Commission has instructed officials to manage the adverse impact of hot weather and predicted rainfall in several states. Votes will be counted on June 4.
Priyanka Gandhi’s Children, First-Time Voters, Cast Their Vote in Delhi. Miraya Vadra and Rehaan Vadra, children of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, voted at a polling booth in Lodhi Estate, Delhi.
President Droupadi Murmu cast her vote at a polling booth in Delhi and displayed her inked finger. VK Pandian Travels by Auto to Cast Vote
BJD leader and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, VK Pandian, arrived at a Bhubaneswar polling station in an auto rickshaw to cast his vote, emphasizing the importance of participating in the democratic process.
“Everyone should participate in the festival of democracy and exercise their votes. Let us all join together and increase the voting percentage. I am very happy to exercise my right to vote. Everyone is equal in a democracy. The auto association requested me, so I came in an auto rickshaw,” VK Pandian told reporters.
AAP MP Raghav Chadha posted a video on X, urging Delhi residents to vote for better education, health, transport, and to strengthen democracy.
“Request to all Delhiites – do go and vote today. Vote for better education, health, transport, and strengthening democracy. It is very hot, but don’t miss out on voting because of this. Jai Hind!” he tweeted.
A poster reading, ‘Jo Ram ko laye hain, hum unko layenge’ (Those who brought Lord Ram back home, we will vote them back) was seen near a polling station in East Delhi’s Vasundhara Enclave.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini cast his vote in his native village, Mirzapur, in Ambala district. Saini is the BJP candidate for the Karnal Assembly bypolls.
BJP candidate from New Delhi, Bansuri Swaraj, and her father, Swaraj Kaushal, cast their votes in Delhi. Earlier, Bansuri offered prayers at the Jhandewalan temple. She is contesting against AAP’s Somnath Bharti.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar cast his vote in Delhi and received a certificate for being the first male voter at the booth.
“We have just cast our vote and I was the first male voter in this booth. We want people to come out and cast their votes as this is a decisive moment for the country,” Dr S. Jaishankar told reporters.
Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri stated that polling has been virtually incident-free and criticized the opposition for attempting to create a false narrative.
“We are celebrating democracy. Polling has been virtually incident-free across the country. The opposition parties tried to create some false narrative during the polling; however, they failed. The biggest takeaway of this election will be the self-goals that they (Opposition) have done. I am making a list of their self-goals,” he told PTI.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah appealed to Delhi voters to elect a corruption-free government in record numbers.
“I appeal to all the sisters and brothers of Delhi to vote in record numbers to elect a corruption-free government. Vote for a system that has a track record of fulfilling its promises, respects the army, and does not betray the public trust by making opportunistic alliances for the sake of power,” he tweeted in Hindi.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi encouraged voters, especially women and youth, to participate in the sixth phase of the elections.
“I urge all those who are voting in the 6th phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to vote in large numbers. Every vote counts, make yours count too! Democracy thrives when its people are engaged and active in the electoral process. I specially urge women voters and youth voters to vote in large numbers,” PM Modi tweeted.
Former Haryana Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda appealed to Haryana residents to vote in large numbers.
Bansuri Swaraj, the BJP candidate from New Delhi, offered prayers at the Jhandewalan temple ahead of voting in the national capital’s seven seats.
