On Saturday, millions of individuals cast their votes in the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha elections. This phase covered 58 seats across eight states and Union territories, with a turnout of 61.75, slightly lower than the 64.73% recorded five years ago. However, there was a noticeable increase in voting compared to the earlier phases of the current election.
Important constituencies in this phase include areas like New Delhi, North-East Delhi, North-West Delhi, and Chandni Chowk in the capital city, along with Sultanpur and Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh. Additionally, significant seats include Anantnag-Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir, Tamluk and Medinipur in West Bengal, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Gurgaon, and Rohtak in Haryana, and Bhubaneswar, Puri, and Sambalpur in Odisha.
People in seven states and one union territory went out to vote, covering a variety of areas. In Bihar and Bengal, there were eight seats each, while Delhi had seven, Haryana ten, Jharkhand four, Uttar Pradesh a significant fourteen, and in Jammu & Kashmir, specifically Anantnag-Rajouri, where voting was rescheduled from the third to the sixth phase, there was one crucial seat up for grabs.
West Bengal saw the highest participation, with 80 percent of voters turning out, followed by 63.76 percent in Jharkhand and 71 percent in Odisha. Haryana had a turnout of 62 percent, while Delhi recorded 58.3 percent. Bihar saw 55.24 percent of its voters casting their ballots, Uttar Pradesh recorded 54.03 percent, and the Anantnag Rajouri seat in Jammu and Kashmir saw a turnout of 54.46 percent, marking its highest since 1984.
The Election Commission of India stated in a press release that despite hot weather in some regions of the country, voters showed unwavering enthusiasm as they patiently lined up to cast their votes nationwide.
There were reports of violence from certain areas within the eight Lok Sabha constituencies of West Bengal. Mehbooba Mufti, the chief of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), staged a protest with her supporters alleging that many of her party workers had been detained by the police to stop them from voting.
During the fifth phase of the elections held on May 20, 49 seats were covered with a voter turnout of 62.2%. The Election Commission observed a turnout of 69.16% in the fourth phase. In the third phase, voter turnout was at 65.68%, and in the second phase, it stood at 66.71%.
The upcoming and final phase is scheduled for June 1, with vote counting and result declaration set for June 4.
