Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 4: 62.9% Voter Turnout In 96 Seats Across 9 States, J&K

Andhra Pradesh and Odisha recently held simultaneous elections to select their next governments. The provisional voter turnout for the fourth phase was reported at 62.9 per cent by the Election Commission.

Forty-two out of the 96 seats, accounting for 44 per cent, are located in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. This phase marked the conclusion of polling in the southern states.

Jammu and Kashmir conducted its first election since 2019, with polling taking place in the Srinagar constituency, one of the two Lok Sabha seats in the Union Territory. However, polling for the Anantnag-Rajouri seat has been postponed to May 25 due to objections from the BJP.

Amid the ongoing voting, questions have been raised by the Opposition regarding the role of the Election Commission, particularly after it issued notices to the BJP and Congress chiefs following controversial comments made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi. The electoral candidates include several prominent leaders from both the ruling party and the Opposition.

Union ministers Giriraj Singh and Ajay Mishra, whose son is currently in jail in connection with the farmers’ death in Lakhimpur Kheri, are among those contesting. Additionally, key Opposition leaders such as Trinamool Congress’s Mohua Moitra, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Congress’s Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Trinamool’s Shatrughan Sinha, and National Conference’s Omar Abdullah are also participating in the elections.

Incidents of violence have been reported, including clashes between political party supporters in various constituencies. A tragic incident occurred in Telangana’s Bhadradri Kothagudem district, where a government employee on poll duty passed away from a suspected heart attack.

The next phase of the election is scheduled for May 20, and the counting of votes will take place on June 4 after the final phase of the election concludes on June 1.