Nearly 60pc turnout in 6th phase of Lok Sabha polls

The penultimate phase of a gruelling Lok Sabha election was completed on Saturday amid scorching heat in several parts of the country. A voter turnout of 59.12 per cent was recorded in 58 constituencies across six states and two Union territories where polling was held in the sixth phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

Despite sporadic incidents of violence, West Bengal continued its pattern of high polling percentage with over 78 per cent voter turnout, while Bihar and Uttar Pradesh saw slow voting with 53.19 per cent and 54.03 per cent turnout, according to updated EC figures.

Voting in a single phase, Delhi recorded 54.37 per cent turnout, followed by Haryana at 58.24 per cent, Odisha at 59.92 per cent and Jharkhand at 62.66 per cent.

Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency witnessed over 51 per cent polling, the highest since the start of militancy in Kashmir in 1989.

These are provisional numbers and the final voter turnout is expected to increase, although marginally, officials said. Voting began at 7 am and people were seen queuing up at polling stations early to beat the heat.

President Droupadi Murmu and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar were among the early voters. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi also voted in Delhi.

Over 11.13 crore voters - 5.84 crore male, 5.29 crore female and 5120 third gender - were eligible to exercise their franchise in this phase. The Election Commission deployed around 11.4 lakh polling officials at 1.14 lakh polling stations.

Besides all the seven seats of Delhi, polling was held in 14 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, all 10 seats in Haryana, eight seats each in Bihar and West Bengal, six seats in Odisha, four seats in Jharkhand and one seat in Jammu and Kashmir.

Simultaneously, polling was held for 42 assembly constituencies in Odisha and the Karnal assembly bypoll in Haryana.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kejriwal and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge urged voters to exercise their right to franchise in the penultimate phase of the Lok Sabha elections in large numbers.

Till now, voting has been completed in 25 states and Union territories and 428 constituencies out of 543. The last phase of polling is scheduled on June 1 and counting of votes will be done on June 4.