LS polls highlights | EC cracks down on NaMoTV, sends Adityanath notice

Lok Sabha Elections 2019's Phase 1 polling has kicked off in 20 states and UTs. Catch Lok Sabha polls LIVE updates

11:05 PM

Bihar records lowest voter turnout with 50%, WB tops with 81% in phase I

West Bengal Thursday recorded a polling percentage of 81 per cent, while Bihar recorded 50 per cent voter turnout in phase one of Lok Sabha elections

People casting vote for Lok Sabha elections 2019 | Photo: Sanjay K Sharma

9:45 PM

Poll panel notice to Adityanath

Election Commission issues show cause notice to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for his "Ali" and "Bajrang Bali" remarks while addressing a rally in Meerut. Adityanath has time till Friday evening to reply.

6:10 PM

Voting ends in Maharashtra, Bastar

Elections in seven Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra and the Naxal-affected Bastar constituency in neighbouring Chhattisgarh came to an end at 5 pm. As much as 46.13 per cent turn-out was reported in seven seats in Maharashtra's Vidarbha by 3 pm, PTI reported quoting government officials.

 

 

5:26 PM

51% voting in Arunachal, rival groups clash

An estimated 50.79 per cent voters in Arunachal Pradesh exercised their franchise till 3 pm Thursday for the state Assembly and two Lok Sabha seats Three persons were injured at Pipsorang circle under Tali assembly constituency in Kurung Kumey district in a clash between supporters of two rival political parties during the polling, PTI reported quoting a police officer

5:23 PM

Maharashtra's Maoist zone votes

Maharashtra registered 46.13 per cent voting till 3 pm in seven constituencies where polling was underway in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections. 

Maoist-affected Gadchiroli-Chimur Lok Sabha seat witnessed 57 per cent voting in eight hours after polling began at 7 am.

 

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Voting in progress in Uttar Pradesh. BS Photo by Sanjay Kumar Singh

4:15 PM

Voter turnout till 3 pm in Mizoram is 55.20%, in Tripura West parliamentary constituency is 68.65% and in West Bengal is 69.94%.

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‘BJP will remove all infiltrators from the country, except Hindus and Buddhists,’ says Amit Shah

Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah on Thursday said his party will ensure that the National Register of Citizens is implemented across the entire country if it forms the next government. Addressing a rally in Darjeeling district in West Bengal, Shah said Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was spreading lies about the NRC.

 

“We have promised in our manifesto that once Narendra Modi forms government once again, we will implement National Register of Citizens in the entire country,” Shah said. “We will remove every single infiltrator from the country. And all the Hindu and Buddhist refugees...we will find each of them, give them Indian citizenship and make them residents here.

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3:44 PM

Maharashtra: Voting turnout in Nagpur parliamentary constituency till 3 pm is 38.35%.

3:43 PM

Voter turnout till 3 pm in Lakshadweep is 51.25%, in Uttarakhand is 46.59% and in Manipur is 68.90%.

3:35 PM

55.9 per cent cast votes till 1 pm in West Bengal

Around 55.9 per cent of voters exercised their franchise till 1 pm in two parliamentary constituencies in West Bengal on Thursday, an election official said.

 

An estimated 55.44 per cent of voters cast their ballots in the Cooch Behar (SC) constituency, while 56.45 per cent polling was recorded in the Alipurduar (ST) seat, till 1 pm, a senior official of the Election Commission said.

 

"Polling is taking place peacefully everywhere. We have not received any such complaints which could not be resolved," Additional Chief Electoral Officer Sanjay Basu said.

3:14 PM

We've not received any letter regarding alleged breach in security of Congress Pres Rahul Gandhi. As soon as MHA’s attention was drawn to reports of incident of “green light” being pointed at him y'day in Amethi, the Director (SPG) was asked to verify factual position. Director SPG informed MHA that the “green light” shown in clipping was found to be that of a mobile phone used by AICC photographer, who was video graphing the impromptu press interaction of Rahul Gandhi near the collectorate in Amethi.

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2:59 PM

35.52% voting recorded in J&K (Jammu & Baramulla Lok Sabha seats) till 1 pm. 39.08 % voting recorded in Sikkim Parliamentary constituency, 46.5 % in Mizoram Parliamentary constituency.

2:58 PM

3 injured in Arunachal clash; over 40% polling till 1 pm

At least three persons were seriously injured in a clash between supporters of two rival political parties under Tali assembly constituency in Kurung Kumey district of Arunachal Pradesh during polling on Thursday, police said.

 

Polling personnel were not among the injured and voting was underway, an election official said.

 

 

The injured were evacuated by a chopper requisitioned by the district administration, Director General of Police (DGP) S B K Singh said.

 

District Electoral Officer Santosh Kumar Rai said the clash occurred between supporters of two political parties, outside a polling booth at Pipsorang.

2:56 PM

Over 38 per cent polling in Telangana

Telangana registered over 38 per cent polling till 1 pm across 17 Lok Sabha constituencies of the state where former Union minister Renuka Chowdary and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi are among prominent candidates in the fray.

 

Medak recorded the highest voter turnout at 54 per cent while Hyderabad registered just 20.59 per cent till 1 pm.

 

 

Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, TRS Working President KT Rama Rao, K Kavitha and AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi and film actors Chiranjeevi, Ram Charan, Allu Arjun, junior NTR and 'Baahubali' director SS Rajamouli were among the prominent people who cast their vote in their respective constituencies.

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Pak PM has no right to interfere in Indian elections, says Owaisi

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi Thursday hit out at Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan over his remarks about India's general elections, saying he has no right to interfere in the country's electoral process.

During an interaction with foreign journalists in Islamabad on Wednesday, Khan said he believed there may be a better chance of peace talks with India and settling the Kashmir issue if Prime Minister Narendra Modi's BJP wins the general election.

"... I have condemned the statement of Imran Khan. He has no right whatsoever to interfere in the electoral process of a great country like India," Owaisi said.

2:49 PM

39 complaints from Congress to EC of EVM glitches at poll booths

The Congress on Thursday sent 39 complaints to the Election Commission (EC) about "glitches" in the functioning of EVMs at some booths in six Lok Sabha seats of Maharashtra where polling was underway, the party said.

 

The state Congress in statement said it made 12 complaints to the EC via e-mail, pointing out glitches in the electronic voting machines (EVMs) at some booths in Nagpur, followed by eight such complaints in Chandrapur, six in Wardha and five in Ramtek.

 

The party also sent four complaints each of such snags in Yavatmal-Washim and Gadchiroli-Chimur seats, it said.

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UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on if she thinks PM Narendra Modi is invincible: Not at all. Don't forget 2004. Vajpayee Ji was invincible, but we won.