Lok Sabha polls 2019: 64% turnout in fourth phase; violence in West Bengal, Odisha

A total of 58.92 per cent of the 87.74 lakh electorate cast their votes in five Lok Sabha constituencies in the fourth phase of polling in Bihar on Monday.

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.

An estimated 63.77 per cent of the 45.26 lakh electorate cast their votes on Monday in three Lok Sabha constituencies in Jharkhand, which passed off peacefully.

Lohardaga (ST), Palamu (SC) and Chatra constituencies are among the states 14 Lok Sabha constituencies, which went to the polls in fourth phase.

In West Bengal, Security forces resorted to lathi-charge at a polling station in Asansol parliamentary constituency after clashes erupted between TMC and BJP supporters over allegations of electoral malpractices. 

There were reports of altercations between supporters of TMC, BJP and CPI (M) from several polling booths in the constituency of West Bengal.

With the eight constituencies of West Bengal in the fourth phase, the voter turnout was 76.59 per cent.

The average polling percentage on 13 seats that went to the polls in the fourth phase of elections in Uttar Pradesh was 58.8% mainly due to blistering heat.

According to the chief electoral officer, the highest percentage of votes was polled in Jhansi (66%) and the lowest polling percentage was reported from Kanpur (51.65%) .

The seats where the polling was held include Shahjahanpur (SC), Kheri, Hardoi (SC), Misrikh (SC), Unnao, Farukkhabad, Etawah (SC), Kannauj, Kanpur, Akbarpur, Jalaun (SC), Jhansi and Hamirpur.

Given the scorching sun, people preferred to cast their votes in most parts of the 13 constituencies of country's desert state of Rajasthan.

The voter turnout in Rajasthan was 66.31 per cent.

A Congress worker was stabbed to death, while three polling personnel were suspended for violation of norms in Odisha, where the fourth and final phase of polling were conducted Monday in six Lok Sabha and 41 assembly constituencies.

The voter turnout in Odisha was 64.05 per cent.

An average 72% voter turnout was recorded across six Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh (Balaghat, Chhindwara, Jabalpur, Mandla, Shahdol, Sidhi) that went to polls Monday, an official said.

A total of 1.05 crore people were eligible to vote for the six seats. The polling began at 7 am.

In Kulgam district of Anantnag constituency in Jammu and Kashmir, 10.3% polling was recorded, amid isolated incidents of stone pelting. This was the second of the three-phase polling in the sensitive seat.

The final voting percentage in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra could reach 56%.

In most of the constituencies, the turnout was higher than in 2014, the data shared by the election commission showed.

As many as 17,588 complaints of election-related offences were registered with the ECI during the four-phase election.