As it happened: Seventh phase polling of Lok Sabha elections 2019
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Over 10.1 crore voters will decide the fate of 918 candidates including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They will cast their ballot at over 1.12 lakh polling stations.
Polling will take place on remaining eight constituencies of Bihar, three of Jharkhand, eight of Madhya Pradesh, 13 of Uttar Pradesh, nine of West Bengal and all the four of Himachal Pradesh, 13 of Punjab and the lone seat of Chandigarh.
Polling concludes: Election Commission
Election Commission: Polling has concluded in 542 parliamentary constituencies across states and union territories.
Election Commission: Polling has concluded in 542 parliamentary constituencies across states and union territories. pic.twitter.com/01rjyLtVfL
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Total voter turnout till 5.30 pm: 60.27%
Bihar - 51.61%
Himachal Pradesh - 65.30%
Madhya Pradesh - 69.38%
Punjab - 58.80%
Uttar Pradesh - 53.76%
West Bengal - 73.05%
Jharkhand - 70.54%
Chandigarh - 63.57%
West Bengal: BJP alleges violent incidents
BJP writes to Chief Electoral Officer West Bengal, alleging violent incidents in 9 parliamentary constituencies of the state. Letter states, "We have filed 417 complaints to ECI, out of which 227 were resolved, a whooping number of 190 complaints are unresolved".
Total voter turnout till 5 pm: 54.42%
Bihar - 49.29%
Himachal Pradesh - 57.63%
Madhya Pradesh - 60.66%
Punjab - 52.34%
Uttar Pradesh - 48.36%
West Bengal - 66.36%
Jharkhand - 66.64%
Chandigarh - 51.18%
CPI-M alleges widespread rigging in West Bengal.
India's first voter exercised franchise again
102-yr old Shyam Saran Negi, first voter of Independent India, cast his vote for Lok Sabha Elections 2019 in Kalpa, Kinnaur earlier today.
He was welcomed by officials with traditional folk music. He had cast the first vote in the 1951 general elections. Himachal Pradesh
#WATCH: 102-yr old Shyam Saran Negi, 1st voter of Independent India, cast his vote for #LokSabhaElections2019 in Kalpa, Kinnaur earlier today. He was welcomed by officials with traditional folk music. He had cast the first vote in the 1951 general elections. #HimachalPradesh pic.twitter.com/IgaghNgykr
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after casting her vote for Lok Sabha Elections 2019 at a polling station in Kolkata.
Spurts of violence in Uttar Pradesh
Violence erupted in Chandauli Lok Sabha constituency of Uttar Pradesh where state Bharatiya Janata Party chief Mahendra Nath Pandey is seeking re-election, when supporters of the saffron party and the Samajwadi Party clashed.
A report from Chandauli said the fingers of Dalits had been inked before they could actually cast their vote in Tara Jivanpur village under Alinagar police station.
Two election officials deputed at different polling booths in Gorakhpur and Bansgaon constituencies died of sudden illness, officials said.
Polling is underway in Maharajganj, Gorakhpur, Kushinagar, Deoria, Bansgaon (SC), Ghosi, Salempur, Ballia, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Mirzapur and Robertsganj (SC).
Union minister Manoj Sinha is seeking re-election from Ghazipur.
Total voter turnout till 4 pm: 52.89%
Bihar - 46.66%
Himachal Pradesh - 56.52%
Madhya Pradesh - 59.38%
Punjab - 48.74%
Uttar Pradesh - 46.58%
West Bengal - 63.66%
Jharkhand - 64.81%
Chandigarh - 51.18%
Tension in Bihar
Police official on polling duty allegedly attacked for stopping bogus voting at polling booth 49 in Arrah. ADM says, "We received info of stone pelting but there has been no disturbance in voting, some people might have tried to create trouble, they've been chased out".
Sourav Ganguly votes
Kolkata: Former Indian cricket team Captain Sourav Ganguly cast his vote at a polling booth in Barisha Janakalyan Vidyapith earlier today.
Kolkata: Former Indian cricket team Captain Sourav Ganguly cast his vote at a polling booth in Barisha Janakalyan Vidyapith earlier today. #WestBengal #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/nwruUqWe4V
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
BJP candidate for Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, Nilanjan Roy's car vandalised in Dongaria area of the constituency on Sunday.
West Bengal: TMC alleges interference by central forces
The Trinamool Congress Sunday alleged that the central forces were "brutally torturing" and "intimidating" voters in West Bengal and acting as per orders of BJP leaders.
In a statement, Trinamool Congress lawmaker Derek O' Brien said, Bengal wants peaceful polling, which BJP doesn't.
Total voter turnout till 3 pm: 47.49%
Bihar - 42.72%
Himachal Pradesh - 46.84%
Madhya Pradesh - 50.98%
Punjab - 44.74%
Uttar Pradesh - 44.02%
West Bengal - 54.86%
Jharkhand - 60.56%
Chandigarh - 37.50%
Clashes in Patna, Bihar
Patna, Bihar: Polling was stopped at booth number 101 & 102 in Sarkuna village of Paliganj after a clash broke out between two groups.
Patna: Polling was stopped at booth number 101 & 102 in Sarkuna village of Paliganj after a clash broke out between two groups. #Bihar #LokSabhaElections2019 #VotingRound7 pic.twitter.com/sFsxJLbtR3
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Conjoined sisters vote as separate individuals
Conjoined sisters Saba and Farah cast their votes as separate individuals with independent voting rights for the first time.
Total voter turnout till 2:30 pm: 44.59%
Bihar-36.20%
Himachal Pradesh- 44%
Madhya Pradesh-46%
Punjab-38%
Uttar Pradesh-37%
West Bengal- 50%
Jharkhand-53%
Chandigarh-38%
Villagers boycott polls, smash EVM in Nalanda
Shouting "no road, no vote", a group of villagers in Bihar`s Nalanda district on Sunday boycotted polling and smashed an electronic voting machine (EVM).
They also damaged the vehicle of a block development officer (BDO).
The group was protesting against alleged lack of proper road connectivity and development.
Meanwhile, a scuffle ensued between two groups after someone went ahead and cast his ballot at booth number 299 in Chandora village of Rajgir block of Nalanda district. Security personnel posted at the polling station were also chased away by the group of protesting villagers
Video: Tej Pratap Yadav's personal security guards beat up a journalist in Patna
Speaking to media Lalu Prasad Yadav’s elder son said, “My bouncers have not done anything. I was leaving after casting my vote when a photographer hit the windscreen of my car. I have filed an FIR in the incident. A conspiracy is being hatched to kill me.”
Violence mars voting in West Bengal
BJP MP candidate Anupam Hazra in Jadavpur: TMC goons have beaten up a BJP mandal president, a driver&attacked a car. We also rescued our 3 polling agents.TMC goons were going to carry out rigging at 52 booths. People are eager to vote for BJP but they are not allowing ppl to vote pic.twitter.com/7qlRPg73HA
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
1st Voter of Independent India Sh Shyam Saran Negi cast his vote today
— PIB India (@PIB_India) May 19, 2019
103yr old Sh Negii from #HimanchalPradesh is arguably India's first voter, who has voted in all the national elections since 1951
Picture Courtesy: @SpokespersonECI #VotingRound7 #Phase7 pic.twitter.com/xqOZ9dELia
West Bengal: Voters hold protest outside polling station number 189 in Basirhat, allege that TMC workers are not allowing them to cast their vote. BJP MP candidate from Basirhat, Sayantan Basu says, "100 people were stopped from voting. We will take them to cast their vote." pic.twitter.com/9qoXEi8YDV
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
"Last night, I was getting calls from my workers from different booths that they have been threatened by TMC's 'jihadi' brigade that if you sit as booth agents for BJP, you'll be murdered," says BJP's CK Bose.
Total voter turnout till 10 am: 11.59%
Bihar-10.65%
Himachal Pradesh- 11%
Madhya Pradesh-13.20%
Punjab-10%
Uttar Pradesh-10%
West Bengal- 14.33%
Jharkhand-15%
Chandigarh-10.40%
BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya casts his vote at polling booth number 316 in Indore.
Polling scene at Kushinager. pic.twitter.com/pW2m1IefUI
— PIB in Uttar Pradesh (@PibLucknow) May 19, 2019
Union Minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad cast his vote at a polling booth in Patna Women's College.
Bihar: Union Minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad casts his vote at booth no. 77 in Patna Women's College. pic.twitter.com/rH9HwBEiVn
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Union Minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad
Bihar: Union Minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad arrives to cast his vote at booth no. 77 in Patna Women's College. pic.twitter.com/RRR2RJrdCR
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Prime Minister Modi urges people to vote in record numbers
Today is the final phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. I urge all those voting in this phase to vote in record numbers. Your one vote will shape India’s development trajectory in the years to come. I also hope first time voters vote enthusiastically.
— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 19, 2019
EVM glitches recorded in Patna Sahib
EVM malfunction reported at booth no.6 in Pant Nagar of Patna Sahib, Bihar, reports ANI.
Cricketer Harbhajan Singh waits in queue to cast his vote at a polling booth in Jalandhar's Garhi village. (ANI Photo)
"Elections should not be held over such a long duration, there was a long gap between each phase of voting. I will write to leaders of all parties to build a consensus on this," said Nitish Kumar.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar casts his vote at polling booth number 326 at a school in Raj Bhawan, Patna. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/5OIMZptQnw
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath exercises his franchise at polling booth no 246 in Gorakhpur. (ANI Photo)
Voting begins in Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh)
Key contestants: Narendra Modi (BJP), Ajay Rai (Congress) and Shalini Yadav (SP)
Main factors and issues: Modi is banking on his development agenda, not only in Varanasi but across the country, as also on his image as a strong leader. The BJP left no stone unturned to ensure a big victory for him, something which Modi had achieved in 2014 when he defeated Arvind Kejriwal of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) by over 3.7 lakh votes.
These 59 constituencies will vote from 7 am to 6 pm in most states except in Jharkhand and parts of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, where voting will end early at 4 pm.
All votes polled in the 2019 Lok Sabha Election will be counted on 23 May.
All parliamentary constituencies in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, along with the Union Territory of Chandigarh, will vote in the final phase of the polls.
In Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, voting will take place in a few Lok Sabha constituencies. The Varanasi Lok Sabha seat, from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking to be re-elected, is one of the key seats that will vote in Phase 7.
In 2014, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had won 30 of the 59 seats going to the polls.
Over 10.17 crore voters across seven states and one Union Territory will decide the fate of 918 candidates.
PM Modi among 918 candidates
PM Modi among 918 candidates whose fate to be decided in the final phase of polling today
The fate of Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with 917 other candidates will be decided today, the last phase of seven-phased Lok Sabha polls.
According to Election Commission of India (ECI), over 10.01 lakh voters will decide the fate of 918 candidates. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.