The Lok Sabha elections for 2024 have officially commenced today, heralding the onset of the electoral process in India. This initial voting phase covers 102 seats distributed across 21 states and Union Territories. As citizens exercise their democratic rights, political parties are gearing up for a fierce battle to secure a mandate for governance.
At the forefront of this electoral contest is the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, aiming for a third consecutive term in the centre. Conversely, the opposition party, united under the banner of INDIA, is determined to regain lost ground after facing setbacks in the 2014 and 2019 elections.
In this inaugural phase, voting is scheduled for all Lok Sabha constituencies in Tamil Nadu (39), Uttarakhand (5), Arunachal Pradesh (2), Meghalaya (2), Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1), Mizoram (1), Nagaland (1), Puducherry (1), Sikkim (1), and Lakshadweep (1). Additionally, polling booths will be open for 12 seats in Rajasthan, eight in Uttar Pradesh, six in Madhya Pradesh, five each in Assam and Maharashtra, four in Bihar, three in West Bengal, two in Manipur, and one seat each in Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir, and Chhattisgarh.
Among the states voting today, Tamil Nadu holds particular significance. In the state, established parties and the Congress face a formidable challenge from a resurgent BJP led by state chief K Annamalai.
The electoral battlefield in this phase boasts prominent figures such as Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Sarbanand Sonowal, Congress’s Gaurav Gogoi, DMKS’s Kanimozhi, and BJP’s K Annamalai. Notably, seven Union Ministers, including Bhupendra Yadav, Kiren Rijuju, Sanjeev Baliyan, Jitendra Singh, Arjun Ram Meghwal, L Murugan, and Nisith Pramanik, are also among the contenders.
Other notable contestants include former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb (Tripura) and Nabam Tuki (Arunachal Pradesh), as well as Tamilisai Soundararajan, who stepped down as Telangana’s governor to re-enter active politics and is contesting from Chennai South on a BJP ticket.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar has emphasized the significance of each vote, urging citizens to exercise their franchise responsibly.
#WATCH | The first phase of #LokSabhaElections2024 begins today.
— ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2024
CEC Rajiv Kumar says, "Everything is in place. The preparations started actually two years back and a wide range of preparations. So, it's from preparing the voter list, to preparing polling stations, finding their… pic.twitter.com/1ETuFbJrxV
In this stage, a grand total of 166.3 million individuals are qualified to participate in voting, among whom are 3.567 million newcomers to the voting process and 35.1 million youthful voters aged 20 to 29. Voting hours are scheduled from 7 AM to 6 PM, encompassing a diverse electorate of 84 million men, 82.3 million women, and 11,371 individuals identifying as belonging to the third gender.
As the electoral process unfolds, stay tuned for updates on key developments, election dynamics, and the pulse of the nation as India charts its democratic course.
