Fourth phase polling picks up, sporadic violence in West Bengal

New Delhi: The fourth phase of the Indian general elections is on and reports of violence have come from West Bengal where polling is being held in eight Lok Sabha constituencies. A brawl between the activists of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC)  was reported from Asansol constituency which is in the limelight owing to the contest between the TMC's Moon Moon Sen, a popular yesteryear actress, and sitting MP and BJP candidate Babul Supriyo, who is also a noted artist.

A total of 72 Lok Sabha constituencies spread over nine states, mostly in Hindi heartland is currently casting their votes. An estimated 12.79 crore electorate are eligible to exercise their franchise in 13 seats each in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, five in Bihar, eight in West Bengal, three in Jharkhand, six in Madhya Pradesh, 17 in Maharashtra and six in Odisha. Polling is also being held in the second of the three phases in Jammu and Kashmir's troubled Anantnag constituency.

As many as 2,41,07,084 voters are eligible to exercise their voting rights at 27,516 polling booths located in 17,011 polling centres. The fourth round will also mark an end to staggered voting in Odisha and Maharashtra.

Polling percentages (state-wise)

Uttar Pradesh

An estimated 43.91 voter turnout was recorded till 3 pm in 13 Lok Sabha constituencies of Uttar Pradesh Monday as polling for the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections in the state was underway.

Seats where the polling is underway in the state are Shahjahanpur (SC), Kheri, Hardoi (SC), Misrikh (SC), Unnao, Farrukhabad, Etawah (SC), Kannauj, Kanpur, Akbarpur, Jalaun (SC), Jhansi and Hamirpur.

In Kanpur, BJP workers clashed with police and allegedly threatened Circle Officer, Gwaltoli, Janardan Dubey and his subordinates posted on election duty. Dubey said some BJP agents forcibly tried to enter a polling booth in Parmat primary school and when they were stopped they threatened him of dire consequences.

A case has been registered against BJP leader Suresh Awasthi and six others in this connection, District Magistrate, Kanpur, Vijay Vishwas Pant said.

In Kannauj, a representative of Samajwadi Party candidate Dimple Yadav, Guddu Saxena, has complained to the observers that the district administration allegedly was not allowing SP leaders and workers to move out of their houses.

He complained that security personnel in large numbers were deployed outside the houses of SP leaders before polling began and also alleged that EVMs in the SP strongholds were malfunctioning.

Complaints of EVM malfunctioning were also reported in Etawah under Auriaya district, with voters saying they had to wait for hours at polling booths in Tilak Mahavidyalaya, Sahupur, Ajitmal and Dalelnagar to cast their votes.

Reports that a woman being allegedly beaten up after she did not cast her vote in favour of Samajwadi Party candidate came up from Ekghara village of the Achalda police station area.

Superintendent of Police, Auraiya, has ordered lodging of an FIR against a man who allegedly carried his mobile phone into a polling booth and posted a picture on social media while casting his vote.

Polling in this phase is specially important for the ruling BJP as it is aiming for a clean sweep by winning all 13 seats, including Kannauj, which was the only seat the Samajwadi Party had managed to win in 2014. Kannauj was won by Samajwadi Party's Dimple Yadav. As many as 2,41,07,084 voters are eligible to exercise their voting rights at 27,516 polling booths located in 17,011 polling centres.

Maharashtra

An average 18.39 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the first four hours in Maharashtra's 17 seats on Monday as polling for the fourth and last phase of Lok Sabha elections in the state was underway.

Polling began at 7 am and long queues were seen outside many booths, some of which were decorated with balloons and 'rangolis' (colourful decorations).

BJP MP Poonam Mahajan, industrialist Anil Ambani, Congress nominee Urmila Matondkar and actor Rekha were among the early voters in Mumbai.

State education minister Vinod Tawde, BJP candidate from Mumhai-North East Manoj Kotak and Congress nominee from Mumbai-Central Eknath Gaikwad also exercised their franchise in the initial hours.

So far, Nandurbar Lok Sabha seat recorded highest polling at 24.59 per cent while Kalyan constituency saw lowest voter turnout of 13.91 per cent, according to an official statement.

The voting figures till 11 am in other constituencies are as follows: Dhule- 18.26 per cent, Dindori - 21.06 per cent, Nashik- 17.22 per cent, Palghar- 21.46 per cent, Bhiwandi- 17.25 per cent, Thane-17.43 per cent, Mumbai-North- 19.46 per cent, Mumbai-North West 17.64 per cent, Mumbai-North East-18.39 per cent, Mumbai-North Central- 16.21 per cent, Mumbai-South Central-16.80 per cent, Mumbai- South 15.51 per cent, Maval- 18.23 per cent, Shirur- 18.65 per cent and Shirdi 20.55 per cent.

As many as 3.11 crore voters spread across the Mumbai metropolitan region and northern and western Maharashtra are eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 323 candidates in the fray in these 17 seats. Around 40 polling booths in these constituencies, including 26 in suburban Mumbai, are being managed women.

West Bengal

VPolling began amid incidents of violence in West Bengal, where an estimated 52.36 per cent of voters exercised their franchise till 1 pm on Monday in eight Lok Sabha constituencies, election officials said.

An electorate of 1,34,56,491 will decide the fate of 68 candidates in the eight constituencies -- Baharampur, Krishnagar, Ranaghat (SC), Burdwan East (SC), Burdwan-Durgapur, Asansol, Bolpur (SC) and Birbhum.

According to a senior election official, clashes broke out between the supporters of rival parties in Nanoor, Rampurhat, Nalhati and Siuri areas of Birbhum seat, briefly disrupting the polling process.

There were also reports of a clash between TMC and BJP workers outside a booth in Barabani in Asansol, following a tiff between sitting MP and BJP candidate in Asansol, Babul Supriyo and polling officials inside the station, he said.

Supriyo's vehicle was reportedly vandalised, the official added. "Polling was peaceful in the first two hours. However, news of clashes started surfacing thereafter. We have sought reports from each of these places. Our officials are monitoring the situation and taking proper measures to conduct the election in a free and fair manner," he said.

Till 1 pm, Baharampur recorded voting at 53.51 per cent, Krishnagar 51.39 per cent, Ranaghat (SC) 52.27 per cent, Burdwan East (SC) 55.47 per cent, Burdwan-Durgapur 50.87 per cent, Asansol 49.98 per cent, Bolpur (SC) 50.82 per cent and Birbhum 54.60 per cent, the state election office said.

The eight seats will see a four-cornered contest between the Trinamool Congress, the BJP, the Congress and the Left Front.

Madhya Pradesh

An average 55.31 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 4 pm across six Lok Sabha constituencies in Madhya Pradesh Monday, an official said.The polling began at 7 am.

"An average 55.31 per cent turnout was recorded till 4 pm," an election official said.

The voting figures till 4 pm were as follows: Sidhi- 46.85 per cent, Shahdol-55.93 per cent, Jabalpur- 53.87 per cent, Mandla -56.16 per cent, Balaghat -60.18 per cent and Chhindwara- 59.87 per cent.

In Chhindwara assembly by-poll, where Chief Minister Kamal Nath is in the fray, the voting percentage till 4 pm was 53.33 per cent.

Barring the Naxal-affected Baiher, Lanjhi and Paraswada Assembly segments under Balaghat parliamentary seat, polling will be held from 7 am to 6 pm everywhere. In Naxal-affected areas, polling was held from 7 am to 4 pm.

Odisha

An estimated nine per cent of the 95.06 lakh voters exercised their franchise in the first two hours of polling on Monday in six Lok Sabha and 41 assembly constituencies of Odisha, an election official said.

This is the fourth and final phase of polling in Odisha, except for the Patkura Assembly seat, where voting will be held on May 19, following the death of the BJD candidate.

Long queues of voters were seen outside the polling stations, even before the process commenced at 7 am, he said.

However, technical glitches in EVMs delayed polling in 60 booths, but it resumed after the snags were rectified, the official said.

The electoral fortunes of 388 candidates, including BJP national vice-president Baijayant Panda and Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Niranjan Patnaik, will be decided in this phase. While 52 contestants, including 12 women, are in the fray in six Lok Sabha seats, there are 336 candidates, 34 of them women, in the 31 assembly constituencies. Of the over 95.06 lakh electorate, around 45.98 lakh are women and 595 voters are transgenders. Around 15,450 voters are service electors. Odisha is also electing its state Assembly.

Bihar

An estimated 32.48 per cent voters of the 87.74 electorate cast their ballots till 1 PM in Bihar, where polling for five Lok Sabha seats is underway on Monday, an election official said.

Bihar Assembly Speaker Vijay Kumar Choudhary exercised his franchise at a polling station in Kyonta village under Ujiarpur Lok Sabha constituency while former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar cast his vote at Masnadpur polling station under Teghra assembly segment of Begusarai seat.

Union Minister Giriraj Singh cast his vote at a polling station at Barahiya under Munger Lok Sabha seat.

A total of 66 candidates, including three women nominees, are in the fray from Darbhanga, Ujiarpur, Samastipur, Begusarai and Munger constituencies in the fourth phase of polling in the state. Voting was initially hampered at three polling stations in Munger, two polling stations in Darbhanga and three polling stations in Begusarai due to technical glitches.

Jharkand

An estimated 20.87 per cent of the 45.26 lakh electorate cast their votes till 11 am on Monday in three Lok Sabha constituencies of Jharkhand, in the first phase of elections in the state.

Women voters were seen in large numbers at many booths in Lohardaga (ST), Palamu (SC) and Chatra constituencies, where voting began at 7 am, election officials said.

Ranchi Sadar Sub-divisional officer Garima Singh presented a citation to a woman, who became the first voter to turn up at a booth in Lohardaga constituency, they said.

The election officials said all preparations have been made to ensure fear and free polling till 4 pm.

There are a total of 6,072 polling stations for the three seats, where 25,727 polling personnel have been deputed.

A total of 45,26,693 voters will decide the fate of 59 candidates, including two women.

Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Sudarshan Bhagat is among the prominent candidates contesting from Lohardaga. He is facing Sukhdeo Bhagat, a Congress MLA and 'Mahagathbandhan' candidate

Rajasthan

Despite the scorching heat, over 43 per cent of 2.57 crore electorate Monday cast their votes till 1 pm in 13 Lok Sabha seats of Rajasthan.

Maximum voter percentage of 53.45 was registered in Barmer, followed by Jodhpur where 46.41 per cent voters exercised their franchise till 1 pm.

The voting began at 7 am in the 13 constituencies of Tonk-Sawaimadhopur, Ajmer, Pali, Jodhpur, Barmer, Jalore, Udaipur, Banswara, Chittorgarh, Rajsamand, Bhilwara, Kota and Jhalawar-Baran, according to the office of the chief electoral officer.

About 2.57 crore people are eligible to vote at 28,182 polling stations in the 13 constituencies where 115 candidates are in fray.

Jodhpur is one of the most talked about seats where Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's son Vaibhav is pitted against Union minister of state and MP Gajendra Singh Shekhwat.

The fate of former Union minister Jaswant Singh's son and former MLA Manvendra Singh, erstwhile Jaipur royal family member Diya kumari, Union minister P P Chaudhary will also be decided in the polling Monday.

Jammu and Kashmir

Less than one per cent of the over 3.45 lakh electorate came out to vote in the first two hours of polling in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir -- part of the Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency -- on Monday amid stringent security arrangements, officials said. Several incidents of stone pelting took place Monday in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir where polling is underway for election to the Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency, police said.

The voting in the second leg of the three-phased schedule for the Lok Sabha seat would decide the fate of 18 candidates, including former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti.

The overall poll percentage in district Kulgam at 9.00 am was 0.91 per cent, the officials said here.

They said the polling so far has been peaceful in the militancy-infested district in the restive south Kashmir.

Polling will end at 4.00 pm, instead of usual 6.00 pm, following a request by the state police to the Election Commission.

The Kulgam district, which comprises four assembly segments of Kulgam, Devsar, Noorabad and Hom Shalibugh, has 3,45,489 electors including 1,79,607 males, 1,64,604 females, 1,265 service electors and 13 transgender voters.

The Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency is spread over four districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama with 16 assembly segments.

The Lok Sabha polls to this constituency are being held in three phases due to security reasons.

Anantnag district went to polls on 23 April, while voting in Pulwama and Shopian districts will take place on 6 May.

Incumbents of the seats

In the fourth phase, the BJP will be defending 45 of the seats it won in the 2014 Lok Sabha battle - 13 in Rajasthan, 12 in Uttar Pradesh, five in Madhya Pradesh, three in Bihar, three in Jharkhand, eight in Maharashtra and one in West Bengal.

In Maharashtra, all the remaining nine were won by the Shiv Sena while in Bihar, the remaining two seats were bagged by BJP's ally Lok Janshakti Party. The Congress got only two - one in Madhya Pradesh and one in West Bengal.

Among other parties, the Biju Janata Dal won all six in Odisha, the Trinamool Congress six in West Bengal and the Samawadi Party one in Uttar Pradesh.

With the end of the fourth round of polling, over 61 crore of the electorate would have taken part in the democratic exercise, the largest in the world.

Campaigning for Monday's polling ended on Saturday evening amid allegations and counter-allegations bordering on personal affairs, making it one of the most bitterly fought elections in the country.

The BJP and its allies in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi are determined to secure a second term while a divided opposition is aiming to end his five years in power.Prominent candidates on Monday include three Union Ministers: Babul Supriyo (West Bengal), Giriraj Singh (Bihar) and S S Ahluwalia (also West Bengal).

Giriraj Singh, for whom Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar campaigned, is pitted against former JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar of the CPI in Begusarai.

Moon Moon Sen of the Trinamool Congress has taken on Supriyo, Urmila Matondkar is contesting from Mumbai North and Baijyant Panda of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Kendrapara in Odisha are among the key candidates on Monday.

The next three rounds of the Lok Sabha battle will conclude on May 19 and the vote count across the country will be taken up on May 23.