Stage Set For 2024 Lok Sabha Polls; A Look At States, UTs Going To Polls In First Phase Tomorrow

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Stage Set For 2024 Lok Sabha Polls; A Look At States, UTs Going To Polls In F...

by Hemanta Pande

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

With world's largest democratic exercise underway in India, voters will begin exercising their franchise on Friday to elect 543 members of Parliament in a seven-phased election that is unparalleled in terms of its scale and logistics and covers every voter of the vast and diverse country.

New Delhi, Apr 18: With world's largest democratic exercise underway in India, voters will begin exercising their franchise on Friday to elect 543 members of Parliament in a seven-phased election that is unparalleled in terms of its scale and logistics and covers every voter of the vast and diverse country.

Voting will take place on 102 constituencies across 21 states and union territories in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections tomorrow. Voters in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim will also elect their assemblies tomorrow. Voting begins at 7 and will end at 6 pm.

This year's Lok Sabha election, to be conducted from April 19 to June 1, will be the second-longest polling exercise in the country's electoral history after the first general election which was held over five months between September 1951 and February 1952.

The last general elections in 2019 were also held in seven phases.

Polling will also be held on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1 to elect the 18th Lok Sabha and votes will be counted on June 4.

New assemblies will also be elected in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.

Political parties held hectic campaign in the run up to the first phase of poll with the BJP-led NDA seeking a third consecutive term in office under leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The opposition INDIA bloc is seeking to oust the BJP-led alliance from power.

Election Commission has made elaborate security and other arrangements for the polls.

The first phase of polls includes seats in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhatisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry.

In Bihar, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh, voting will take place across all seven phases starting April 19.

Polling will be completed in a single phase on April 19 in Tamil Nadu, Sikkim, Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, Meghalaya, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The poll schedule was announced by the Election Commission of India on March 16. Bypolls to 26 assembly constituencies will also be held alongside the Lok Sabha and four state assembly polls.

Bypolls will be held in the Ramnagar seat in Tripura and the Vilavancode seat in Tamil Nadu on April 19.

The first phase has the highest number of parliamentary constituencies among all phases.

An estimated 8.4 crore male voters, 8.23 crore female voters and 11,371 third gender electors are eligible to vote in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls, according to Election Commission.

Key candidates and constituencies in Phase 1 Lok Sabha polls:

In Uttar Pradesh , voting will take place in eight out of total 80 parliamentary constituencies on April 19.
1. Pilibhit: Jitin Prasada (BJP) faces Bhagwant Saran Gangwar (SP) and Anis Ahmed Khan (BSP).
2. Saharanpur: Raghav Lakhanpal (BJP) is pitted against Majid Ali (BSP) and Imran Masood (Congress).
3. Kairana: Pradeep Kumar (BJP) faces Sripal Singh (BSP) and Iqra Hasan (SP).
4. Muzaffarnagar: Sanjeev Balyan (BJP) is contesting against Harindra Malik (SP) and Dara Singh Prajapati (BSP)
5. Rampur: Ghanshyam Lodhi (BJP) faces Zeeshan Khan (BSP).
6. Moradabad: Sarvesh Singh (BJP) versus Mohd. Irfan Saifi (BSP)
7. Bijnor: Chandan Chauhan (RLD) is contesting against Vijendra Singh (BSP) and Yashvir Singh (SP).
8. Nagina: Om Kumar (BJP) faces Surendra Pal Singh (BSP), Manoj Kumar (SP) and Chandra Shekhar Azad (Azad Samaj Party).

Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats and voting will take place in five constituencies tomorrow. The seats include
1. Nagpur: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari (BJP) is pitted against Congress leader Vikas Thakare, the sitting MLA from Nagpur West.
2. Chandrapur: Sudhir Mungantiwar (BJP) is contesting against Pratibha Dhanorkar (Congress)
3. Bhandara-Gondia: Sitting MP Sunil Mendhe (BJP) faces Dr Prashant Patole (Congress)
4. Gadchiroli-Chimur: Ashok Nete (BJP) is facing Namdev Kirsan( Congress) and Hitesh Pandurang Madavi (VBA).

West Bengal has 42 Lok Sabha constituencies and voting will take place in three seats tomorrow
1. Cooch Behar: Incumbent MP Nishith Pramanik (BJP) is pitted against Jagadish Chandra Burma Basunia (TMC) and Pia Roy Chowdhury(Congress)
2. Alipurduars: Manoj Tigga (BJP) is in the fray against Prakash Chik Baraik (TMC).
3. Jalapiguri: Jayanta Kumar Roy, the incumbent MP (BJP) is contesting against Nirmal Chandra Roy (TMC) and Debraj Barman (CPI-M)

All 39 seats of Tamil Nadu and one seat of Puducherry will go in for polls tomorrow. Some of the key seats include
1. Coimbatore: State BJP chief K Annamalai is in fray against Ganapathy P Rajkumar (DMK) and Singai Ramachandran (AIADMK).
2. Thoothukudi: Kanimozhi (DMK) is contesting against R Sivasami Velumani (AIADMK)
3. Chennai South: BJP has fielded former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan. She is facing DMK leader and incumbent MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian. AIADMK has fielded Jayavardhan.
4. Krishnagiri: Vidhya Rani, the daughter of slain sandalwood smuggler Veerappan is contesting from Krishnagiri constituenc. She has been fielded by Naam Tamilar Katchi and will face C Narasimhan (BJP) and K Gopinath(Congress).
5. Chennai Central: Dayanidhi Maran (DMK) is facing Vinoj P Selvam(BJP) and B Parthasarathy (DMDK)
6. Nilgiris: A Raja (DMK) is contesting against Union Minister and BJP leader L Murugan. AIADMK has given a ticket to Lokesh Tamilselvan.
7. Sivaganga: Devanathan Yadav (BJP) is in the fray against Congress sitting MP Karti Chidambaram and A Xavier (AIADMK).

In Assam , five of 14 Lok Seats will go to poll in the first phase.
1. Dibrugarh: Sarbananda Sonowal (BJP) is contesting against Lurinjyoti Gogoi (INDIA bloc).
2. Jorhat: Topon Kumar Gogoi (BJP) is pitted against Gaurav Gogoi (Congress)
3. Kaziranga: BJP has fielded Kamakhya Prasad Tasa is contesting against Congress' Roselina Tirkey
4. Lakhimpur: Pradan Baruah (BJP) is contesting against Uday Shankar Hazarika (Congress)
5. Sonitpur: BJP's Ranjit Dutta is in the fray against Premlal Ganju.

In Bihar , four of 40 Lok Sabha constituencies will see polling tomorrow
1. Aurangabad: Sushil Kumar Singh (BJP) is facing Abhay Kushwaha (RJD)
2. Gaya: Kumar Sarvjeet (RJD) is facing Jitan Ram Manjhi (HAM)
3. Jamui: Archana Kumari (RJD) is contesting against Arun Bharti (LJP-Ram Vilas)
4. Nawada: Shrawan Kumar (RJD) is pitted against Vivek Thakur (BJP)

In Madhya Pradesh , six of the state's 29 Lok Sabha seats will go the poll tomorrow.
1. Chhindwara: Incumbent MP Nakul Nath (Congress) is pitted against Vivek Bunty Sahu (BJP).
2. Balaghat: Bharti Pardhi (BJP) is facing Samrat Saraswat (Congress)
3. Jabalpur: Ashish Dubey (BJP) is pitted against Dinesh Yadav (Congress).
4. Mandla: Faggan Singh Kulaste (BJP) is contesting against Omkar Singh Markam (Congress)
5. Shahdol: Sitting MP Himadri Singh (BJP) is in the fray against Phunde Lal Singh Marko (Congress)
6. Sidhi: Rajesh Mishra (BJP) is pitted against Kamaleshwar Patel (Congress)

In Uttarakhand , all five Lok Sabha seats will go for polls tomorrow
1. Haridwar: Former chief minister Harish Rawat's son Virendra Rawat (Congress) is facing Trivendra Singh Rawat (BJP)
2. Pauri Garhwal: State Congress chief Ganesh Godiyal is contesting against Anil Baluni (BJP)
3. Tehri Garhwal:Sitting MP Mala Rajya Laxmi Shah is in the fray against Jot Singh Gunsola (Congress)
4. Nainital-Udham Singh Nagar: Sitting MP Ajay Bhatt (BJP) is taking on Congress candidate Prakash Joshi
5. Almora: Sitting MP Ajay Tamta is contesting against Pradeep Tamta (Congress)

Voting in 12 out of the 25 constituencies of Rajasthan will vote in the first phase tomorrow. Key constituencies include:
1. Bikaner: Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal (BJP) is in the fray against Madan Gopal Meghwal (Congress)
2. Churu: Paralympian Devendra Jhajharia (BJP) is contesting against Rahul Kaswan (Congress)
3. Nagaur: Jyoti Mirdha (BJP) against Hanuman Beniwal of Rashtriya Loktantrik Party (RLP)
4. Sikar: Swami Sumedhanand (BJP) against Amra Ram of CPI(M)
5. Jhunjhunu: Shubhkaran Choudhary (BJP) against Brijendra Singh Ola (Congress)

In Andaman and Nicobar Islands constituency, incumbent MP Kuldeep Rai Sharma (Congress) is facing Bishnu Pada Ray (BJP).

Arunachal Pradesh's two constituencies will go to poll in the first phase. Arunachal Pradesh West: Nabam Tuki (Congress) is facing Kiren Rijiju (BJP)

Arunachal Pradesh East: Bosiram Siram (Congress) is in fray against Tapir Gao (BJP)

In Chhattisgarh , which has 11 Lok Sabha seats, voting will take place in the first phase in the Naxal-affected seat of Bastar where Kawasi Lakhma of the Congres is pitted against Mahesh Kashyap (BJP).

Elections will take place twice in one constituency in Manipur .

Voters in Outer Manipur will cast their votes over two days due to the special situation owing to ethnic violence witnessed by the state, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said in a press conference on March 16.

While voting will take place in Inner Manipur constituency on April 19 (phase 1), outer Manipur will vote on two dates - April 19 (phase 1) and April 26 (phase 2).

Of the two Lok Sabha seats in Tripura , the constituency of Tripura (West), which includes the state capital of Agartala, will go the polls tomorrow.

BJP nominee and former Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb is contesting against state Congress chief Ashish Kumar Saha. (ANI)

SC orders bar association to reserve minimum 1/3rd posts for women

by Manisha Das

New Delhi, May 2: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) to reserve at least 1/3rd posts for women in its executive committee.

Asking SCBA to implement the quota henceforth, a bench presided over by Justice Surya Kant said that the post of treasurer will be reserved for women in the ensuing 2024-25 elections.

The Bench, also comprising Justice KV Viswanathan, added that one post of the office-bearers will be reserved for women on a rotation basis.

It clarified that the directions issued by the apex court would not exclude women from contesting other SCBA posts.

In effect, one post of the office-bearers, two senior executive members and three executive members will be mandatorily reserved for women.

Earlier in February this year, the Delhi High Court was apprised by SCBA that the General Body Meeting (GBM) will be convened within two months to discuss the nomination of women advocates as Executive Members.

A bench of Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain was dealing with a plea filed by advocate Yogamaya MG seeking to convene the meeting to address the issue of gender representation within the SCBA.

The petitioner had urged the SCBA to consider a representation signed by 270 members addressing the issue of lack of female representation in the executive committee.

The representation proposed amending the SCBA rules and regulations to ensure at least two positions for women executive members.

The petition stressed the importance of women's representation in decision-making bodies like the SCBA, stating that it is fundamental to creating a workplace culture that prioritises the prevention of sexual harassment and addresses issues unique to women lawyers.

(IANS)

"Congress trying to divide Hindu society": PM Modi in Gujarat's Surendranagar

by Manisha Das

Surendranagar, May 2: Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Congress party of trying to "divide the Hindu society".

While addressing an election rally in Gujarat's Surendranagar on Thursday, PM Modi claimed that Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge gave a statment related to Lord Ram and Lord Shiv with "malicious intent".
"Congress is trying to divide the Hindu society. They want to create a fight between Ram bhakts and Shiv bhakts. Mallikarjun Kharge has given a very dangerous statement related to Lord Ram and Lord Shiv. That statement is given with malicious intent. Our traditions that have been going on for thousands of years... those traditions which even the Mughals could not break, now the Congress wants to break them," PM Modi said.

"A month ago, their 'Shehzaada' said that he would destroy Shakti. We are the worshippers of Shakti. 'Shehzaada' said that he would destroy Shakti. Can the devotees of Shakti forgive this? How low will Congress stoop for appeasement?" he added.

The Prime Minister further claimed that the Congress party has lost its "balance" since he "exposed their truth" over the reservation.
"Ever since I have exposed the truth of Congress's actions against SC/ST/OBC before the nation, Congress has lost its balance, Congress has become nervous and is telling lie after lie," PM Modi said.
Taking the attack against the Congress party further, the Prime Minister alleged that the country was "putting its head down in shame" over crores worth scam by the former.
"10 years ago, our country used to put its head down in shame over the scams worth lakhs and crores. There was not a single day when the news of scams did not make headlines in the newspapers. 2G scam, coal scam, defence scam, CAG scam, helicopter scam, submarine scam, Commonwealth scam. Congress had committed scams worth thousands of crores of rupees across water, land and sky. 10 years ago, the whole world considered India a burden and said that India would sink itself and take us down with it. Some people said that it is a poor and weak country," he said.

"Our neighbours used to carry out bomb blasts almost every day, killing innocent people. Big companies did not even think of coming to India. Today India's name is ringing in the world and all this has been possible because of your one vote. Today there is competition among big companies to come to India. India is becoming self-reliant today. Those who send terrorists know that India today strikes back in their home turf," PM Modi added.
PM Modi further claimed that the Congress has vowed to provide a "fixed quota" to Muslims.

"They (Congress) have written in their manifesto that now in all the government tenders, a quota will be fixed for Muslims. Now reservation based on religion will be introduced in government contracts also," he said.
Voting for 25 out of 26 seats in Gujarat will take place in the third phase of the ongoing general elections on May 7.

Voting will not take place in Surat as Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Mukesh Dalal was declared elected unopposed last week after Congress' Nilesh Kumbhani's nomination was rejected while other candidates withdrew from the contest. The results will be announced on June 4.

(ANI)

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Files Nomination Papers From Sambalpur LS Seat

by Utkalika Mohanty

Sambalpur, May 2: Union Minister and BJP candidate from Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat, Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday filed his nomination papers.

Pradhan filed his paper before the Sambalpur Collector and Returning Officer. Several BJP Leaders were present during his filing of papers.

Before filing his nomination papers, Pradhan visited Samaleswari Temple to seek the blessings of the presiding deity and then headed out in a huge rally to file nomination papers along with BJP Sambalpur MLA Candidate Jaynarayan Mishra and BJP Rengali MLA Candidate Nauri Nayak.

Despite the sweltering heat, the rally for the BJP leaders saw local residents turning out in thousands.

Pradhan is set to contest elections for Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat against BJD's candidate Pranab Prakash Das and Congress’s candidate Nagendra Pradhan.