Lok Sabha Elections Phase 7: Nearly 60% Polled As Per Provisional Figures

Voting for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections has concluded after polling closed for the seventh phase. Before the finals results are announced on June 4, exit polls will try to predict the outcome of the elections later this evening.

The exit polls for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections will be broadcast from 6:30 pm on June 1, 30 minutes after the polling ends.

Here is the link to get all the latest updates on Lok Sabha exit polls 2024.

The Election Commission said the Phase-7 voter turnout stood at 59.45% as of 8:45 p.m. The final numbers is expected to be released on Sunday, along with the total voter turnout of the general elections.

The votes will be counted on June 4 for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Counting of votes for Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim state elections will take place on June 2.

INDIA bloc parties will get more than 295 seats in the Lok Sabha polls, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on Saturday, asserting that they had arrived at the figure after feedback from people.

Addressing reporters here after a meeting of top leaders of the opposition bloc at his residence here, Kharge said the leaders of the alliance met for about two and a half hours and discussed a host of issues, especially the precautions to be taken on counting day and the instructions they have to give to their parties' workers.

Source: PTI

The voting for the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha elections will conclude at 6 p.m. As per election rules, fresh entry to poll booths ends at 6 p.m. and those in queue are allowed to complete their voting.

Thus draws the close to world's largest democratic exercise running for 44 days.

Widespread violence between TMC and BJP supporters over alleged electoral malpractices was reported during polling in strife-torn Sandeshkhali region of Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency on Saturday, resulting in numerous injuries. Police resorted to lathicharge and tear gas shelling to control the situation.

(Source: PTI)

The voter turnout across 57 seats in 7 states and Union Territory is 58.3% as of 5 pm, ECI data showed. West Bengal records highest voter turnout at near 70%, followed by Jharkhand and Himachal Pradesh.

State-wise voter turnout for Phase 7 till 5:00 PM:

Lok Sabha:

• Bihar: 48.9%

• Chandigarh: 62.8%

• Himachal Pradesh: 66.6%

• Jharkhand: 68%

• Odisha: 62.5%

• Punjab: 55.2%

• Uttar Pradesh: 54%

• West Bengal: 69.9%

Vidhan Sabha:

Odisha: 62.5%

INDIA bloc parties have sought time from the Election Commission on Sunday for steps to be taken during counting of votes, Congress president Kharge said after opposition meeting.

The constituent parties of the INDIA alliance will take part in media debates on exit polls that will start later this evening, a U-turn from Friday's declaration of a bloc-wide skip to appearance.

"INDIA parties met and decided to expose the bjp and its ecosystem on the prefixed exit polls. After considering factors for and against participating in the exit polls, it has been decided by consensus that all the INDIA parties will participate in the exit poll debates on television this evening," said Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera.

"Today, we held our meeting for at least 2.5 hours, in which we discussed a range of issues, especially elections and what all challenges we might face. We also discussed the care to be taken on the day of counting," says Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge while addressing media after the conclusion of INDIA bloc meeting.

Source: PTI

Voting for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections has with the conclusion of the seventh phase. Before the finals results are announced on June 4, exit polls will try to predict the outcome of the elections later this evening. The exit polls for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections will be broadcast from 6:30 pm on June 1, 30 minutes after the polling ends.

Here is the link to get all the latest updates on Lok Sabha exit polls 2024.

Leaders of the opposition INDIA alliance met in Delhi. They have decided that all the constituent parties will participate in the exit poll debates on television today evening.

Source: ANI

All 13 seats of Punjab are also polling today. The election is expected to be triangular, with INDIA allies Congress and Aam Aadmi Party having a "friendly" contest that is expected to split the non-BJP vote and play into BJP hands.

Punjab reported a 46.38% voter turnout as of 3 pm.

A voter turnout of 58.46% was recorded till 3 pm on Saturday in nine Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal in the seventh and final phase of elections, an EC official said.

The highest polling of 66.76% was registered in the Basirhat seat, followed by Mathurapur at 63.66%, Jaynagar at 62.24%, Diamond Harbour at 61.08%, and Barasat at 59.69%, he said.

Voter turnout in Jadavpur was recorded at 56.49%, Dum Dum at 53.06%, Kolkata Uttar at 51.22% and Kolkata Dakshin at 50.61%, he added.

An alleged clash broke out between Trinamool Congress and BJP workers at Bayarbari in Basirhat, North 24-Parganas, West Bengal.

BJP candidate from Basirhat Lok Sabha seat Rekha Patra said, "If you (police) want to raise your hands on me, then do so. You are the police (administration), but you should be ashamed that you are slaves of the Chief Minister... The Chief Minister has bought you... The police are slaves of the Chief Minister, they (police) will not give any answer."

INDIA alliance meeting being held at the residence of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge in Delhi. TMC chief and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti skip meet.

Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose's great-grandnephew Chandra Kumar Bose casts his vote in Kolkata. He was accompanied by his wife.

"I think, this is a crucial Lok Sabha election. Kolkata Dakshin is a very progressive and inclusive constituency. I think people of South Kolkata would fight against divisive communal politics, it would support progressive candidates, it would support inclusive secularism," he said.

Voting turnout for phase 7 reached 49.68% by 3 p.m., with electorate in 7 states and Union Territory voting for 57 seats. Jharkhand records highest voter turnout at 60.14%, followed by Himachal Pradesh at 58.41%, and West Bengal at 58.46%.

Voter Turnout for Phase 7 till 1 pm:

Lok Sabha: All India: 40.1%

• Bihar: 42.95%

• Chandigarh: 52.61%

• Himachal Pradesh: 58.41%

• Jharkhand: 60.14%

• Odisha: 49.77%

• Punjab: 46.38%

• Uttar Pradesh: 46.83%

• West Bengal: 58.46%

Vidhan Sabha:

Odisha: 49.77%

Bengali movie star-Trinamool Congress MP and candidate from Ghatal, Deepak Adhikari, casts his vote in Kolkata for the final phase of Lok Sabha elections.

AAP leaders led by the party's national convenor Arvind Kejriwal arrive at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for the meeting of the INDIA alliance. Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav and former Bihar Deputy CM also arrived for the meet.

"I am happy that the elections, by and large, are conducted in a peaceful manner. People will be happy that their choice has been respected. I don't want to comment on political parties and leaders., and their prospects," former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu told PTI.

Mimi Chakraborty, a former TMC MP and actress, voted at a polling station in Kolkata. In 2019, she entered politics and ran for the Jadavpur Lok Sabha Constituency as a TMC candidate. Although she stepped down from her position on February 2024, her resignation has not been approved by the party leader yet.

Actor and Chandigarh's state icon for Lok Sabha polls, Samaira Sandhu casts her vote at a polling booth in Chandigarh.

"I can see a good rush. Voters are coming out in large numbers...I urge people to come out and vote...All arrangements have been made here..." she said.

BJP candidate from Hooghly Lok Sabha constituency, Locket Chatterjee casts her vote at a polling station in West Bengal's Hooghly.

"A large number of people have voted for BJP. Even the TMC people are upset about their party. BJP is going to get more than 30 seats in the state. There is a possibility that the TMC Govt can get toppled before 2026. Mamata Banerjee talks about democracy but the situation in West Bengal is the worst...Congress has no existence in the state...," she told the media post voting.

Voting turnout for phase 7 reached 40.1% by 1 p.m., with electorate in 7 states and Union Territory voting for 57 seats. Himachal Pradesh records highest voter turnout at 31.92%, followed by Jharkhand at 29.55%, and West Bengal at 28.10%.

Voter Turnout for Phase 7 till 1 pm:

Lok Sabha: All India: 40.1%

• Bihar: 35.7%

• Chandigarh: 40.1%

• Himachal Pradesh: 48.6%

• Jharkhand: 46.8%

• Odisha: 37.6%

• Punjab: 37.8%

• Uttar Pradesh: 39.3%

• West Bengal: 45.1%

Vidhan Sabha:

Odisha: 37.6%

AAP MP Raghav Chadha arrives in Delhi, after casting his vote in Punjab earlier today. He will take part in the INDIA bloc meeting scheduled for today. He says, "A meeting of top leaders of INDIA bloc has been called at the residence of Mallikarjun Kharge today. AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and all of us from the party will take part in that meeting..."

BJP MP Kirron Kher casts her vote at a polling station in Chandigarh for the final phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024. The incumbent MP is not contesting elections this year, she has been replaced by BJP's Sanjay Tandon.

"I told them 3 months ago that I do not want to contest elections this time. People will remember me for the next 10 years. I was living in Chandigarh and was completely accessible for everyone..," she said.

“People are enthusiastically participating in this event. Arrangements like drinking water, shades, volunteers, and wheelchairs for disabled voters and elders have been made,” Varanasi DM S Rajalingam told PTI.

Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana casted his vote at a polling booth in Chandigarh for the final phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

"I came back to my city to cast my vote and exercise my right...Mumbai recorded a very low voter turnout this time but we should cast our vote...We don't have a right to complain if we don't vote..," he said after voting.

RJD candidate from Patliputra Lok Sabha constituency Misa Bharti cast her vote at a polling booth in Patna.

"This time, people of the country have decided that they will form 'janata ki sarkar'...," she said after voting.

TMC MP Nussrat Jahan casts her vote in Kolkata. "...Voting is our right, we will have to exercise our franchise. Everyone is coming to cast their vote. Voting is going on well and peacefully, so we are expecting the best," she said.

Congress candidate from Mandi Lok Sabha seat Vikramaditya Singh along with his mother and Himachal Pradesh Congress chief Pratibha Singh cast their votes at a polling station for the seventh phase of Lok Sabha elections.

He is pitted against Bollywood actress and BJP candidate Kangana Ranaut from Himachal Pradesh's Mandi Lok Sabha constituency.

Voting turnout for phase 7 reached 26.30% by 11 a.m., with electorate in 7 states and Union Territory voting for 57 seats. Himachal Pradesh records highest voter turnout at 31.92%, followed by Jharkhand at 29.55%, and West Bengal at 28.10%.

Voter Turnout for Phase 7 till 11:00am:

Lok Sabha:

All India: 26.30%

• Bihar: 24.25%

• Chandigarh: 25.03%

• Himachal Pradesh: 31.92%

• Jharkhand: 29.55%

• Odisha: 22.64%

• Punjab: 23.91%

• Uttar Pradesh: 28.02%

• West Bengal: 28.10%

Vidhan Sabha:

Odisha: 22.97%

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar leaves after casting his vote at a polling booth in Bakhtiyarpur for the seventh phase of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024. Voting is held for the remaining eight Lok Sabha seats in Bihar.

TMC supporters raise slogans against BJP candidate from Kolkata North Lok Sabha seat Tapas Roy outside a polling booth in Kolkata. They alleged that the BJP is doing proxy voting here.

"I don't know about proxy votes, their polling agents are present there (at the polling booth)," says Tapas Roy, BJP candidate from Kolkata North Lok Sabha seat.

Himachal Pradesh CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu casts his vote at a polling station in Hamirpur for the seventh phase of Lok Sabha Election 2024.

"I have cast my vote after 11 years. Goons of TMC won't be able to do anything. People will decide on their own and pick PM Modi," says BJP's Basirhat candidate Rekha Patra after casting vote in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal.

Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal casts his vote at a polling booth in Punjab's Badal village under the Firozpur Lok Sabha constituency. SAD has fielded Nardev Singh Bobby Mann from this seat.

BJP has fielded Gurmit Singh Sodhi, Congress has fielded Sher Singh Ghubaya and AAP has fielded Jagdeep Singh Kaka Brar.

"Today the contest is between national parties and the party of the people of Punjab. So, the party of the people is winning. I appeal to the people to come out and vote," he told the media after casting his vote.

TMC National General Secretary and candidate from Diamond Harbour seat, Abhishek Banerjee

"TMC will better its tally compared to what we got in 2019, both in terms of seat share and vote share...In the last 6 phases of Lok Sabha elections, TMC has already surpassed 22 seats out of the 35 seats in West Bengal where voting has been done..." he said.

"I think a clarification has been made from the Election Comission that it was a mock EVM. Although I have not collated the information but I have heard from my block leadership that it was a mock EVM and there is nothing to worry about. By and large, voting has been peaceful and I appeal to the people of West Bengal that today is your time to give a befitting reply to this anti-people govt...," he said on the EVM looted by local mob in South 24 Parganas' Kultali.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's son and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav casts his vote at Bihar's Patna for the phase 7 of the Lok Sabha Polls.

“It’s the day of the festival of democracy. I appeal to the people of Bihar to come out of their houses and vote. It’s the election to form the country; we want more people to take part in this in order to safeguard the Constitution,” he said after casting his vote.

Amid the the final phase of the Lok Sabha elections, Union Home Minister Amit Shah offered prayers at the revered Somnath temple in Gujarat's Gir Somnath district.

Shah, his wife Sonalben and son Jay Shah performed 'dhwaj puja' at the temple after their arrival in the evening. The minister is also one of the trustees of the Shree Somnath Trust, which manages the temple.

(WIth inputs from PTI)

Voting turnout for phase 7 reached 11.3% by 9 a.m., with electorate in 7 states and Union Territory voting for 57 seats. Himachal Pradesh records highest voter turnout at 14.4%, followed by Uttar Pradesh at 12.9%, and West Bengal at 12.6%.

Lok Sabha Voting Turnout:

All India: 11.3%

• Bihar: 10.6%

• Chandigarh: 11.6%

• Himachal Pradesh: 14.4%

• Jharkhand: 12.2%

• Odisha: 7.7%

• Punjab: 9.6%

• Uttar Pradesh: 12.9%

• West Bengal: 12.6%

Vidhan Sabha:

Odisha: 7.7%

HAM founder & NDA candidate from Gaya Lok Sabha seat Jitan Ram Manjhi and his son & party president Santosh Suman cast their vote at a polling booth in Jehanabad.

BJP leader and party's Lok Sabha candidate from Patna Sahib seat Ravi Shankar Prasad casts his vote in the final phase of Lok Sabha polls. He was accompanied by his wife.

BJP candidate from Mandi Lok Sabha, Kangana Ranaut casts her vote at a polling station in Mandi, for the final phase of Lok Sabha Elections.

Bollywood actor and BJP candidate Kangana Ranaut is making her poll debut from Himachal Pradesh's Mandi, a stronghold of the Congress.

The Queen actor, who hails from the mountain state, will face off against seasoned Congress MP Vikramaditya Singh.

Mandi is a bastion of the Singh family, with the seat currently held by Vikramaditya's mother, Pratibha Virbhadra Singh.

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Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and his wife Dr Gurpreet Kaur cast their vote at a polling booth in Sangrur constituency for the final phase of the Lok Sabha Polls. "There was some issue with VVPAT (at the polling booth) and the officials replaced it..." he told the media after casting his vote.

The seat sees a contest amid Congress' Sukhpal Singh Khaira, BJP's Arvind Khanna, AAP's Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer and SAD's Iqbal Singh Jhundan and Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar)'s Simranjit Singh Mann.

Union Minister and BJP candidate from Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat cast his vote for the seventh phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024. He was accompanied by his father and former Himachal Pradesh CM Prem Kumar Dhumal, and his family.

"If you see the polling booths, people have a huge enthusiasm. People are celebrating the festival of democracy. Everyone has come out to cast their votes for good government. The workers of the BJP have done a lot of work for the people and I believe that we will get the blessings of the people..." he said.

EVM and VVPAT machine were reportedly thrown in water by a mob at booth number 40, 41 in West Bengal's Kultai, South 24 Parganas, during the final phase of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

Actor turned BJP leader Mithun Chakraboryty casts his vote at Kolkata's Belgachia. "...I am a BJP cadre, I have done my duty...", he said.

Congress candidate from Gurdaspur Lok Sabha constituency Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa casts his vote for the final phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024.

"I have trust in voters. They don't see parties but who will work for them, who will fight their battle and who will raise the voice of Punjab in the parliament..," Randhawa told the media.

PM Modi urged citizens to cast their vote in the final phase of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

"Today is the final phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. As 57 seats across 8 states and UTs go to the polls, calling upon the voters to turnout in large numbers and vote. I hope young and women voters exercise their franchise in record numbers. Together, let’s make our democracy more vibrant and participative," he shared on his X profile.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi and their daughter & party candidate from Saran Lok Sabha seat Rohini Acharya arrive at a polling booth in Patna to cast their vote.

Congress candidate from Varanasi Lok Sabha seat Ajay Rai offers prayers at a temple before casting his vote. Rai is pitted against PM Modi in the high profile contest from Varanasi.

AAP MP Raghav Chadha casted his vote at a polling station in Lakhnaur, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar under the Anandpur Sahib constituency, for the seventh phase of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

"Every vote by citizen will decide direction and condition of country," he said urging the citizens to vote.

BJP chief Nadda votes in Bilaspur. He was accompanied by his wife Mallika Nadda. He urged individuals to cast their votes for a "capable, reliant India."

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath casts vote in Gorakhpur's Gorakhnath. BJP MP Ravi Kishan is at the fray for the Gorakhpur seat.

BJP MP and candidate from Gorakhpur, Ravi Kishan & his wife Preeti Kishan casted their votes at a polling booth in the constituency.

Two actors-turned-politicians are set to fight it out in Gorakhpur, a BJP stronghold and bastion of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

The BJP's Ravi Kishan and the Samajwadi Party's Kajal Nishad, both stars of the Bhojpuri film industry, are contesting against each other.

In 2019, Kishan defeated SP candidate Rambhual Nishad, with over 60% of the vote share.

Former Indian cricketer and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Harbhajan Singh casts his vote at a polling booth in Punjab's Jalandhar.

Punjab is going to witness a multi-cornered contest on all the 13 Lok Sabha seats.

"Today is a very important day for all of us and I would appeal to everyone to come out and vote and elect a government that can work for you," Singh appeals to the citizens.

Polling began on Saturday morning for 13 Lok Sabha constituencies in Punjab and the lone Chandigarh seat in the seventh and final phase of parliamentary elections.

Patiala is set for an interesting contest as four-time sitting MP Preneet Kaur, wife of former Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, is stepping into a new political arena by contesting on a BJP ticket for the first time.

Kaur faces Congress candidate Dharamvir Gandhi and the Aam Aadmi Party's Balbir Singh in the polls. Gandhi had won the Patiala seat in 2014 as an AAP candidate, defeating Kaur, who represented the Congress at the time.

Polling for the final phase of Lok Sabha elections in 13 Uttar Pradesh. The parliamentary seats where polling will take place are Maharajganj, Gorakhpur, Kushinagar, Deoria, Bansgaon (SC), Ghosi, Salempur, Ballia, Ghazipur, Chandauli, Varanasi, Mirzapur and Robertsganj (SC), spread across 11 districts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is aiming for a hat-trick of wins from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. Modi is pitted against Indian National Congress candidate Ajay Rai, who had also contested the seat in the previous two elections. The Bahujan Samaj Party has fielded Syed Neyaj Ali as its candidate for the high-profile seat.

Besides Modi, there are 143 candidates in the fray.

Voting for three Lok Sabha seats in Jharkhand commenced on Saturday, amid tight security, officials said. Polling began at 7 am in Dumka, Rajmahal, and Godda, and will continue till 5 pm.

A total of 52 candidates, including eight women, are contesting in this final phase, the state's fourth and the seventh nationwide. Nineteen candidates each are competing in Dumka and Godda, while Rajmahal has 14 contestants.

All eyes are on Dumka seat where BJP's Sita Soren, sister-in-law of jailed former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, is contesting against INDIA bloc's Nalin Soren. Sita, a former three-term JMM legislator, joined BJP just ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, citing 'neglect' and 'isolation' by JMM after the death of her husband Durga Soren in 2009.

In Godda, BJP sitting MP Nishikant Dubey is contesting against INDIA bloc's Pradip Yadav. The Rajmahal seat is expected to witness an interesting fight as JMM's Borio legislator Lobin Hembrom is contesting as an Independent against sitting JMM MP Vijay Hansdak. The BJP has fielded its former state president Tala Marandi for the seat.

The Lok Sabha elections 2024 have witnessed a notable presence of affluent candidates vying for parliamentary seats across the country. With wealth becoming a significant factor in Indian politics, this election cycle sees a significant number of rich candidates in the fray.

Polling commenced for six Lok Sabha constituencies and 42 assembly seats in Odisha on Saturday morning, amid tight security, a poll official said.

Voting began at 7 am in Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, and Jagatsinghpur Lok Sabha seats, along with the 42 assembly segments that constitute these parliamentary constituencies.

Polling will continue till 6 pm as there are no Maoist-hit zones under these Lok Sabha seats, the official added. Approximately 1 crore voters are eligible to cast their votes across 10,882 booths in the fourth and final round of simultaneous elections in the state.

Sixty-six candidates are contesting for the six Lok Sabha seats, while 394 contestants are competing for the 42 assembly segments.

Several prominent leaders' fates will be decided in this phase, including Odisha assembly Speaker Pramila Mallik, government chief whip Prashant Muduli, BJP Odisha unit president Manmohan Samal, BJP national vice-president Baijayant Panda, six Odisha ministers, and four sitting MPs.

Polling in the seventh and last phase of Lok Sabha elections to nine seats in West Bengal began at 7 am on Saturday amid tight security arrangements, an Election Commission of India (ECI) official said.

Voting in Dum Dum, Barasat, Basirhat, Jaynagar, Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, Jadavpur, Kolkata Dakshin and Kolkata Uttar seats will continue till 6 pm, he added.

A total of 1.63 crore voters, including 83.19 lakh men, 80.20 lakh women and 538 persons of the third gender, are eligible to exercise their franchise at 17,470 polling stations.

Of the 124 candidates in the fray, Kolkata Dakshin has the highest at 17, followed by Jadavpur (16), and 15 each in Basirhat and Kolkata Uttar.

Fourteen candidates are contesting from Dum Dum, 12 each from Barasat, Diamond Harbour and Mathurapur and 11 in Jaynagar.

Several heavyweight candidates, including Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, sitting MPs Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Sougata Roy, and Mala Roy, former Union minister Debasree Chaudhuri of the BJP, and senior CPI (M) leader Sujan Chakraborty are in the fray.

The ECI has deployed 967 companies of central forces along with over 33,000 state policemen for the final phase, the official said, adding that 246 companies of central forces along with 11,000 state policemen will be deployed in Kolkata.

A total of 384 companies of central forces will be deployed in South 24 Parganas district, while 116 companies will be on duty in Basirhat, he added.

Polling for four Lok Sabha seats and six assembly by-elections began across Himachal on Saturday morning. As many as 62 candidates, including 37 for Lok Sabha and 25 for assembly by-elections, are in the fray.

Prominent leaders whose fate will be sealed in these elections include Anurag Thakur (BJP), Anand Sharma (Congress), Bollywood actor Kangna Ranaut (BJP), Vikramaditya Singh (Congress) and sitting BJP MP from Shimla (SC) Suresh Kashyap.

Polling is being held for four Lok Sabha seats -- Hamirpur, Mandi, Kangra and Shimla -- besides by-elections for six assembly constituencies of Sujanpur, Dharamshala, Lahaul and Spiti, Barsar, Gagret and Kutlehar.

The voter turnout in Himachal Pradesh was 80.1% in 2019 and Mandi had recorded the highest polling at 82.3%, followed by Kangra 80.9% and Hamirpur and Shimla (SC) 79.9%.

More than a month after India began voting, 57 constituencies across seven states and a Union territory will go to the polls in the seventh and concluding phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Saturday.

As many as 904 candidates, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are in fray in the final phase of Lok Sabha elections to be held on Saturday. PM Modi is seeking a third term in his constituency Varanasi.

A total of 57 seats spread across seven states - Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Punjab - and the Union territory of Chandigarh will go to polls.

Polling for the remaining 42 assembly constituencies in Odisha will also take place simultaneously. Saturday's phase will conclude the polling to elect the 18th Lok Sabha which started on April 19. Polling for 28 states and Union territories across 486 seats has so far been concluded.

Counting of votes will take place on June 4.

Over 10.06 crore citizens, including nearly 5.24 crore men, 4.82 crore women and 3574 third gender electors are eligible to vote in the last phase.

The polling, which started at 7.00 am, will end at 6.00 pm.

(With inputs from PTI)