As the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha elections unfolds, voter turnout at 9 am stands at 10.82 per cent across 58 constituencies spanning six states and two Union Territories (UTs) -- Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir. The polling is active in 14 seats in Uttar Pradesh, all 10 seats in Haryana, seven seats in Delhi, eight seats each in Bihar and West Bengal, six seats in Odisha, four seats in Jharkhand, and one seat in Jammu and Kashmir. Additionally, voting for 42 assembly constituencies in Odisha is also taking place concurrently.
The voter turnout percentages reported at 9 am are as follows:
- Delhi: 8.94%
- Uttar Pradesh: 12.33%
- Bihar: 9.66%
- West Bengal: 16.54%
- Odisha: 7.43%
- Jharkhand: 11.74%
- Anantnag-Rajouri (Jammu and Kashmir): 8.89%
Noteworthy candidates in this election phase include Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Rao Inderjit Singh, and Krishan Pal Gurjar; BJP leaders Maneka Gandhi, Sambit Patra, Abhijit Gangopadhyay, Manohar Lal Khattar, and Manoj Tiwari; PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti; and Congress figures Deepender Singh Hooda, Raj Babbar, and Kanhaiya Kumar.
Polling commenced at 7 am and is scheduled to continue until 6 pm. Early reports indicate significant voter engagement, with queues forming at various polling stations.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called upon voters to participate enthusiastically in this crucial electoral phase. In a tweet, he emphasized the importance of every vote, particularly urging women and youth to vote in large numbers.
The electorate in this phase comprises over 11.13 crore voters, including 5.84 crore males, 5.29 crore females, and 5,120 individuals of the third gender. To facilitate the voting process, the Election Commission has deployed approximately 11.4 lakh polling officials across 1.14 lakh polling stations.
