The seven-phase Lok Sabha elections finally ended today after the last phase of elections saw 59 remaining seats going to polls today. Among those seats going for polls today also included Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a second term from.
Today’s polling was held for all 13 seats in Punjab, similar number of seats in Uttar Pradesh, nine in West Bengal, eight seats each in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, four in Himachal Pradesh, three in Jharkhand and the lone seat of Chandigarh.
The campaigning for the last phase of elections had come to an end on Friday, when Congress president Rahul Gandhi addressed a press conference, while Modi had faced flak for refusing take questions from reporters.
Over 10 crore voters were expected to cast their votes today to decide the fate of 918 candidates. This year’s elections have been one of the most bitterly fought with the role of the Election Commission coming under sharp scrutiny. On Saturday, the national poll body slipped into a deep crisis after it emerged that Election Commission Ashok Lavasa had decided to skip all meetings related to complaints of Model Code of Conduct violations since his previous dissent had not been included in EC’s orders.
An embarrassed Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora was forced to issue a statement calling the controversy over Lavasa’s letter ‘avoidable’ and ‘unsavory.’
Today, several constituencies also saw bypolls. This includes Panaji assembly seat, which fell vacant due to the death of former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. Bypolls were also held in four assembly constituencies of Tamil Nadu — Sulur, Aravakurichi, Ottapidaram (SC) and Thiruparankundram.
Aside from Modi, other prominent names going to polls today were Union minister Manoj Sinha, SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal and union ministers Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Hardeep Singh Puri, Actor Sunny Deol, Aam Aadmi Party’s Punjab unit chief Bhagwant Mann, union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad, Ram Kripal Yadav, RK Singh and Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Shatrughan Sinha of the Congress among others.
Here are the live Updates :
Indore: 3-feet tall Vinita Mehta cast her vote for #LokSabhaElections2019 at polling booth no. 212 earlier today. #MadhyaPradesh pic.twitter.com/waNiVsGUei
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
- 53.03% voter turnout recorded till 5 pm: Bihar-46.75%, Himachal Pradesh- 57.43%, Madhya Pradesh-59.75%, Punjab-50.49%, Uttar Pradesh-47.21%, West Bengal- 64.87%, Jharkhand-66.64%, Chandigarh-51.18% in #Phase7 of #LokSabhaElections2019 (ANI)
Himachal Pradesh: Prashant Desta, SDM Solan carried a 78-year-old specially abled woman to a polling station in Nalagarh, to help her exercise her franchise. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/wT89pQfJt3
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Nahan, Himachal Pradesh: 40-year-old differently-abled voter Naresh Chand reached polling booth in a palanquin arranged by Election Commission to cast his vote for #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/CWZKA4MZPW
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after casting her vote for #LokSabhaElections2019 at a polling station in Kolkata. pic.twitter.com/jVDFPJytnh
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Gaya: Locals in Chiriyawan village in Jehanabad boycott polls & protest outside polling booth no. 236 ; say, "road nahi to vote nahi. We went to so many offices, but Govt didn't give 'No Objection Certificate'. MLA says our village is not in the map, so why would we vote". #Bihar pic.twitter.com/xLQFqiVqJI
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Bihar: Police official on polling duty allegedly attacked for stopping bogus voting at polling booth 49 in Arrah. ADM (pic3) says,"We received info of stone pelting but there has been no disturbance in voting, some ppl might have tried to create trouble, they've been chased out" pic.twitter.com/EeTF3tjCUu
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Himachal Pradesh: A bridegroom casts his vote at polling booth number 93 in Kullu. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/0c8k9zLNB4
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Kolkata: Former Indian cricket team Captain Sourav Ganguly cast his vote at a polling booth in Barisha Janakalyan Vidyapith earlier today. #WestBengal #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/nwruUqWe4V
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Dhar: People of Bhil tribe in Dhal village turn out in large numbers to vote for #LokSabhaElections2019; say, "we have come to vote as we have to select a government. We have a lot of issues like road, water, employment. We are voting for development". #MadhyaPradesh pic.twitter.com/mwUFrxHZSl
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
- 51.95% voter turnout recorded till 3 pm: Bihar-46.66%, Himachal Pradesh- 49.43%, Madhya Pradesh-57.27%, Punjab-48.18%, Uttar Pradesh-46.07%, West Bengal- 63.58%, Jharkhand-64.81%, Chandigarh-50.24% in #Phase7 of #LokSabhaElections2019 (ANI)
Bathinda: One injured following clashes in two groups outside polling booth number 122 in Talwandi Sabo; police say, "poll violence took place here, one person opened fire. We've recorded statements and registered a case. Polling has resumed". #Punjab #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/L95EDKkSei
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Himachal Pradesh: Visuals from the world's highest polling station at Tashigang in Lahaul-Spiti, a part of Mandi Parliamentary constituency. The polling station is located at an altitude of 15, 256 feet above sea level. #LokSabhaElections2019 #VotingRound7 #FinalPhase pic.twitter.com/Kw7Jwx9w9Y
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Amritsar: Visually-impaired voters after casting their votes at polling booth number 187 in Institute for the Blind. #LokSabhaElections2019 #VotingRound7 #Punjab pic.twitter.com/Mcdf7HnGGD
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Patna: Polling was stopped at booth number 101 & 102 in Sarkuna village of Paliganj after a clash broke out between two groups. #Bihar #LokSabhaElections2019 #VotingRound7 pic.twitter.com/sFsxJLbtR3
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
#WATCH Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar, Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP from Barasat & candidate from the same constituency, argues with a security personnel at a polling booth in Barasat. #WestBengal #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/okBovGxXU4
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Patna: Conjoined sisters Saba & Farah cast their votes as separate individuals with independent voting rights for the first time. #Bihar #LokSabhaElections2019
(Pictures courtesy- Election Commission) pic.twitter.com/t0ZFucfQiU— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
West Bengal: TMC's Candidate from Basirhat, Nusrat Jahan greets people after casting her vote in the constituency. #LokSabhaElections2019 #VotingRound7 #FinalPhase pic.twitter.com/s29E1lRA41
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Delhi: Visuals of re-polling at booth number-32, Daryaganj. Election Commission of India had declared polls held on 12th May at polling station no. 32 of Chandni Chowk Assembly Segment as void. #LokSabhaElections2019 #VotingRound7 pic.twitter.com/Ja1yKWNAJk
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
- Varanasi: Congress’s Ajay Rai who is contesting against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in parliamentary constituency of Varanasi, said after casting his vote at a polling booth here earlier today, “work is being carried out in Varanasi on a temporary basis, nothing is permanent” (ANI)
- 39.85% voter turnout recorded till 1 pm: Bihar-36.20%, Himachal Pradesh- 34.47%, Madhya Pradesh-43.89%, Punjab-36.66%, Uttar Pradesh-36.37%, West Bengal- 47.55, Jharkhand-52.89%, Chandigarh-35.60% in #Phase7 of #LokSabhaElections2019 (ANI)
Senior BJP leader Murali Manohar Joshi casts his vote at a polling booth in Varanasi. #LokSabhaElections2019 #Phase7 #FinalPhase pic.twitter.com/IoJiYByLap
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 19, 2019
Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh casts his vote at polling booth no. 89 in Patiala. #LokSabhaElections2019 #Phase7 #FinalPhase pic.twitter.com/cIDyyQlj29
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Bihar: Congress's candidate from Patna Sahib Lok Sabha Constituency, Shatrughan Sinha casts his vote at polling booth no.339 in St. Severin's School, Kadam Kuan, Patna. #LokSabhaElections2019 #Phase7 #FinalPhase pic.twitter.com/rtjWUiEJrt
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
West Bengal: A son took his 80-year-old mother to polling booth number-242 in Dum Dum Lok Sabha constituency so she can cast her vote. #LokSabhaElections2019 #Phase7 #FinalPhase pic.twitter.com/7tArfAL2eb
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
#WATCH 102-yr old Shyam Saran Negi from Himachal Pradesh's Kalpa, casts his vote in #LokSabhaElections2019. He had cast the first vote in the 1951 general elections. pic.twitter.com/LYATWrRjB1
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Himachal Pradesh: A bridegroom along with his family casts his vote at polling booth number 8 in Manali parliamentary constituency. pic.twitter.com/N6viD4NJtT
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Union Minister and BJP leader Manoj Sinha casts his vote at a polling booth in Ghazipur. pic.twitter.com/gw0IYhhqyV
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) May 19, 2019
West Bengal: BJP candidate for Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, Nilanjan Roy's car vandalised in Dongaria area of the constituency. pic.twitter.com/Ag09xHu5hZ
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Punjab Minister and Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu and his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu, cast their votes at booth number-134 in Amritsar. #LokSabhaElections2019 #Phase7 #FinalPhase pic.twitter.com/6QZWqgqk0I
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Bihar: Locals boycott elections at booth number-299 in Chandora village, Rajgir Block of Nalanda District say, 'No roads, No votes.' EVM and Block Development Officer's car vandalised. #LokSabhaElections2019 #Phase7 #FinalPhase pic.twitter.com/yGEtWirZOd
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
BJP MP candidate Anupam Hazra in Jadavpur: TMC goons have beaten up a BJP mandal president, a driver&attacked a car. We also rescued our 3 polling agents.TMC goons were going to carry out rigging at 52 booths. People are eager to vote for BJP but they are not allowing ppl to vote pic.twitter.com/7qlRPg73HA
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
BJP MP candidate Anupam Hazra at polling booth number 150/137 in Jadavpur: Women TMC workers with covered faces are casting proxy votes, it is difficult to establish their identity. When we raised objection to it, they created a ruckus at the polling station. pic.twitter.com/Grf3rwoVc6
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
West Bengal: Additional forces arrive at polling station number 189 in Basirhat. BJP MP candidate from Basirhat, Sayantan Basu has alleged that TMC workers are not allowing people to cast their vote. pic.twitter.com/Na55Lo1ORu
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Madhya Pradesh: Lok Sabha Speaker & BJP leader Sumitra Mahajan casts her vote at a polling booth in Indore. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/mPUmPXFHS2
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Himachal Pradesh: BJP MP Anurag Thakur and BJP leader Prem Kumar Dhumal after casting their vote in Hamirpur #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/ikXrjl9F20
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Harsimrat Kaur Badal in Badal village: Congress have brought their goons here from outside. Y'day, their goons in Mansa conducted checking of cars. We complained to poll officials but no action was taken. In Bhatinda Rural, our worker Titu Randhawa was also attacked. #Punjab pic.twitter.com/QGt95LBL2d
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
West Bengal: Voters hold protest outside polling station number 189 in Basirhat, allege that TMC workers are not allowing them to cast their vote. BJP MP candidate from Basirhat, Sayantan Basu says, "100 people were stopped from voting. We will take them to cast their vote." pic.twitter.com/9qoXEi8YDV
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Himachal Pradesh CM Jairam Thakur casts his vote at polling station number 36 in Mandi district. pic.twitter.com/lQsrG66nKx
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
West Bengal: Mohammed Salim, CPI (Marxist) candidate from Raiganj Parliamentary constituency, casts his vote at a polling booth in St. Thomas' Girls School, Kolkata. #LokSabhaElection2019 pic.twitter.com/iUw5kQvlDz
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Tamil Nadu: A 103-year-old woman has cast her vote in Sulur for by-election to the Sulur assembly constituency. pic.twitter.com/CZNK7fdaFE
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Chandigarh: Congress MP Candidate from Chandigarh, Pawan Kumar Bansal casts his vote at booth no 228, Government Model High School, Sector 28 C. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/2nlTdGNfQW
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Punjab: Former Union Minister and Congress's candidate from Anandpur Sahib parliamentary constituency, Manish Tewari cast his vote at Sacred Heart Convent School, Sarabha Nagar, Ludhiana. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/f8W91yM5r9
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Madhya Pradesh: A specially-abled woman, Sonu Mali casts her vote at polling booth no. 316 in Nanda Nagar, Indore. pic.twitter.com/rs2SeuhvAP
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
- Voter turnout recorded till 9 am: Bihar-10.65%, Himachal Pradesh- 0.87%, Madhya Pradesh-7.16%, Punjab-4.64%, Uttar Pradesh-5.97%, West Bengal- 10.54, Jharkhand-13.19%, Chandigarh-10.40% in #Phase7 of #LokSabhaElections2019 (ANI)
Madhya Pradesh: BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya casts his vote at polling booth number 316 in Indore. pic.twitter.com/22hMLkFN7H
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Bihar: Union Minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad casts his vote at booth no. 77 in Patna Women's College. pic.twitter.com/rH9HwBEiVn
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Bihar: Union Minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad arrives to cast his vote at booth no. 77 in Patna Women's College. pic.twitter.com/RRR2RJrdCR
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
West Bengal: BJP Lok Sabha candidate from South Kolkata parliamentary constituency, CK Bose casts his vote at a polling booth in City College, in Kolkata pic.twitter.com/MZAKmrrUvm
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
West Bengal: Kolkata North BJP candidate Rahul Sinha casts his vote at polling booth in Bijoygarh Shikshaniketan For Girls, in Jadavpur. pic.twitter.com/q2dtJGB3gf
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Bihar: EVM malfunction reported at booth no.6 in Pant Nagar of Patna Sahib (Lok Sabha constituency). #VotingRound7
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
#LokSabhaElections2019 : Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Modi casts his vote at booth number 49 in Patna. pic.twitter.com/Blwg9EThAX
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Chief Minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar: Elections should not be held over such a long duration, there was a long gap between each phase of voting. I will write to leaders of all parties to build a consensus on this. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/Qrh2ocDJpo
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019
Voting begins for 59 parliamentary constituencies in the 7th phase of #LokSabhaElections2019 across Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, MP, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Chandigarh. pic.twitter.com/azmqo02dYx
— ANI (@ANI) May 19, 2019