Monday's Critical Showdown:
The nation gears up for the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections, set to unfold today. Following the commencement of elections on April 19, three phases are completed, covering 285 seats. Now, 96 coveted seats across ten states and territories wait for their voters' verdict, with notable areas including Kannauj, Hyderabad, and Begusarai under the spotlight.
8.97 Crore Male and 8.73 Crore Female Voters
Additionally, this phase also sees polling for Andhra Pradesh's State Assembly across 175 seats and for Odisha's Assembly in 28 seats. A mammoth 17.7 crore electorate will exercise their right at 192,000 polling stations to shape the destiny of 1,717 hopefuls, facilitated by 19 lakh diligent polling staff.
Senior Voters Cast Their Legacy
Of the total electorate, over 12.49 lakh are revered voters aged above 85, their ballots weighted with years of wisdom.
The stakes are high, with candidates from various regions competing in a political tussle. In some areas, accommodating the extensive list of candidates necessitates the use of two EVM ballot units since a single unit can incorporate votes for 16 candidates. Meanwhile, a single EVM machine can record votes for up to 64 candidates and store a maximum of 2000 votes within its electronic memory.
Election High-Stakes: Key Players Join the Fray
Akhilesh Yadav fighting for Kannauj: The Samajwadi Party stalwart takes on the BJP's current MP.
Hyderabad witnesses Asaduddin Owaisi locking horns with a cine-star-turned-politician BJP candidate.
Krishnanagar's battlefield: TMC's Mahua Moitra braves the cash-for-query storm against a rival from a royal lineage.
The Begusarai showdown: BJP's heavy-hitter Giriraj Singh defends his turf against a united opposition.
Fates Sealed in Previous Elections
A recap of the 2019 Lok Sabha fourth phase winners sees a prominent showing by the BJP across several states, while Congress and local parties claimed their own bastions.
Voter Turnout: A State-by-State Record
Andhra Pradesh led with an 80.38% voter turnout, while Jammu & Kashmir saw the lowest at 44.97%.
In Telangana, the election commission has extended polling time by an hour, hoping for greater voter participation. In treacherous terrains across three states, helicopters have executed over 122 flights to ensure polling parties and security personnel reach their destinations.
