India witnessed the initiation of its extensive Lok Sabha Elections 2024 with the first phase of voting taking place on Friday, April 19. While certain regions in West Bengal and Manipur experienced instances of violence and firing, the Elections Commission of India reported that the initial polling phase remained “largely peaceful across 21 States/UTs.” The voting concluded by 6 pm across 102 Lok Sabha constituencies.
During Phase 1 of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, voting was completed in 10 states/UTs, including the polling for the state assemblies of Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh. These states/UTs encompass Tamil Nadu, Sikkim, Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, Meghalaya, Uttarakhand, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Key Points of Phase 1 Lok Sabha Elections 2024
1. Which state saw how much voter turnout?
Until 7 pm, a voter turnout of approximately 60 percent was reported across the 102 Lok Sabha seats. Despite the prevailing heat wave, the Election Commission announced that the polling for the initial phase of the General Elections 2024 witnessed a notably high voter turnout.
Tripura registered the highest turnout at roughly 80 percent, closely followed by West Bengal at 77 percent. In Tamil Nadu, all Lok Sabha constituencies underwent polling in a single phase on April 19, with the southern state recording a voter turnout of 72 percent by 7 pm.
2. Violence in Manipur
Both Lok Sabha constituencies, Inner Manipur and Outer Manipur, conducted polling in Manipur on Friday. The northeastern state, plagued by violence since May of the previous year, experienced firing incidents in the Imphal East area during the voting process.
According to the news agency PTI, a confrontation erupted between locals and unidentified troublemakers in the Thongju assembly constituency, falling under the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat. Manipur Chief Electoral Officer Pradeep Jha stated that reports have been requested from the district administrations and assured that appropriate action would be taken against those responsible for the altercation.
A firing incident and clashes were also reported at a polling booth in Moirangkampu Sajeb Awang Leikai of Imphal. “One civilian was injured in the incident,” news agency ANI reported. “Suddenly two men here came and asked for Congress and BJP polling agents. They took the Congress agent outside by holding his hand. Then the two men fired shots from inside the car. One person got injured,” an officer said.
Jha informed that the authorities have received a “few reports of some damage to the EVMs, some criminal intimidation or somebody trying to influence the voters”.
Also read | Had mangoes thrice from home in jail: Delhi CM Kejriwal to Rouse Avenue Court
3. Violence in West Bengal
The first phase of Lok Sabha polls in Bengal’s three parliamentary constituencies was also marred by sporadic incidents of violence. Numerous injuries were reported as clashes erupted primarily in the violence-prone Cooch Behar seat between workers of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
According to sources quoted by PTI, the TMC and BJP filed approximately 100 and 50 complaints respectively, concerning poll violence, voter intimidation, and assaults on poll agents during the early hours of polling. The majority of these complaints originated from Cooch Behar.
The TMC accused BJP workers of assaulting polling agents in Sitalkuchi and obstructing access to certain polling booths in Cooch Behar. However, the BJP refuted these allegations and instead accused the TMC of engaging in voter intimidation.
Additionally, clashes were reported in the Mathabhanga area, resulting in injuries to workers from both the TMC and BJP, as per PTI reports. Both parties exchanged accusations of voter intimidation during these confrontations.
“We have received a few complaints and we are looking into them. However, we have no reports of any major incidents of violence so far. The polling has been peaceful,” a senior officer from the CEO’s office said. According to officials, Cooch Behar recorded a 77.38 percent turnout till 5 pm, while Alipurduars and Jalpaiguri recorded 75.54 and 79.33 percent, respectively.
4. CRPF jawan killed, IED blast in Chhattisgarh
A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawan deployed on security duty died after a shell of an under-barrel grenade launcher (UBGL) accidentally exploded in Galgam village under Usoor police station limits in Bijapur district, a police official said.
“Constable Devendra Kumar, belonging to CRPF’s 196th battalion, suffered serious injuries in the blast and was airlifted to Jagdalpur but he died during during treatment,” the official said.
In another incident, an assistant commandant of the CRPF was injured when a pressure improvised explosive device (IED) planted by Naxalites exploded in the Bhairamgarh police station area of Bijapur district, police told PTI. The incident occurred near the Chihka polling booth under Bhairamgarh police station limits when a team of security personnel was out on an area domination operation in the area given polling.
5. 2,500 voters cross the India-Bangladesh border
On April 19, approximately 2,500 voters crossed the fencing along the India-Bangladesh border to participate in the voting process in Tripura. A significant portion of Tripura’s electorate, due to historical circumstances, resides beyond the barbed wire fencing. These individuals who have reached the legal voting age are now listed in Tripura’s electoral rolls. Border gates have been operational since morning to facilitate the voting process.
Speaking to ANI, an Indian citizen Hafizur Rahmanz who lives in the Bangladesh side of the barbed wire fencing said all the 50 voters who live in his village are eager to cast their votes in these elections.
“My name is Hafizur Rahman. I live on the other side of the fence. The situation is quite good. The voting is also proceeding smoothly. There are 19 families consisting of 50 voters. Most of them have cast their votes in the morning and the remaining voters will soon come to cast their votes,” said Rahman.
For more latest updates, click here.
(With inputs from ANI, and PTI)
