THE HEADLINES:
- Over 59 per cent voter turnout recorded in 58 constituencies in sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections.
- Voting also held for third phase of Assembly Elections in Odisha.
- Election Commission releases absolute number of voters who cast their votes in the first five phases of Lok Sabha elections; Asserts that voter turnout data was always available with candidates.
- Cyclone Remal likely to make landfall between Bangladesh and West Bengal coasts by midnight tomorrow.
- Anasuya Sengupta creates history becoming the first Indian to win Best Actress at Cannes Film Festival.
- India’s Simran Sharma clinches gold in Women’s 200 metres T12 category at Para-Athletics World Championship in Kobe, Japan.
- In Badminton, PV Sindhu storms into Women’s singles final of Malaysia Masters Badminton in Kuala Lumpur.
<><><>
A voter turnout of over 59 per cent was recorded till 8 PM in the sixth phase of ongoing Lok Sabha elections for which polling was held today. The polling in all 58 Parliamentary Constituencies spread over six States and two Union Territories remained peaceful. In this phase polling was held on 14 seats in Uttar Pradesh, all ten seats in Haryana, eight seats each in Bihar and West Bengal, all seven seats in Delhi, six in Odisha, four in Jharkhand and one Parliamentary Constituency in Jammu and Kashmir. Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary Constituency in Jammu and Kashmir has recorded over 52 per cent voting which is the highest turnout in the last 35 years. Bihar recorded a voter turnout of over 55 per cent, Haryana over 58 per cent, Jharkhand around 63 per cent and Delhi over 54 per cent. In Odisha, a voter turnout of over 60 per cent was recorded while Uttar Pradesh registered a voting percentage over 54 per cent and in West Bengal it remained more than 78 per cent.
A total of 889 candidates were in the fray in this phase. The prominent candidates whose fate was sealed in EVMs include, senior BJP leaders Dharmendra Pradhan, Maneka Gandhi, Manohar Lal Khattar and Manoj Tiwari and Congress leaders Deepender Singh Hooda, Kumari Selja, Raj Babbar and Kanhaiya Kumar. Samajwadi Party leader Dharmendra Yadav and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti were also in the fray.
Simultaneously, polling was also held today for 42 seats of the Odisha Assembly in the third phase in which over 60 per cent polling was recorded till 8 PM. In spite of hot weather in certain parts of the country, voters were undeterred in their enthusiasm as they were seen queuing up patiently to cast their votes across the country.
Our correspondent reports that with the conclusion of phase six , polling for the Lok Sabha elections is now completed in 486 Parliamentary Constituencies in 28 States and UTs. The Polling was also completed for Assembly elections of Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Andhra Pradesh and 105 assembly seats of Odisha.
<><><>
In Odisha, polling passed off more or less peacefully in six parliamentary constituencies and 42 assembly segments under their purview. There were reports of violence in Banki, Brahmagiri, Ghasipura and few other Assembly constituencies where different groups belonging to few political parties clashed during the polling for which voting was disrupted for sometime. The prominent candidates whose fate has been sealed in the EVMs today in the Lok Sabha polls include Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, BJP leaders Sambit Patra, Aparajita Sarangi, Bhartruhari Mahatab, Ruda Narayan Pani, BJD organisation general secretary Pranab Prakash Das. The fate of many state ministers in the Naveen Patnaik government and sitting MLAs, who are contesting in the third phase of assembly elections in the state, has also been sealed today in the EVMs.
As expected, today’s Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Odisha witnessed a bitter tussle between the BJD and BJP not a ‘friendly contest’ as earlier expected. In most of the constituencies BJD and BJP candidates are fighting neck to neck, while in some seats there are triangular contests. In Lok sabha elections, BJD heavyweight Pranab Prakash Das, who is the organisation general secretary and has been calling the shots in the party, is taking on Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, considered to be BJP’s poster boy in the State, in the Sambalpur Lok Sabha constituency in western Odisha. Similarly, the Puri Lok Sabha seat is witnessing a close contest between BJD nominee Arup Patnaik, who was Mumbai Police Commissioner, and BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra. In the state Assembly elections, tough contests between the BJD and BJP were witnessed in a large number of the 42 Assembly seats as the ruling BJD has fielded most of its sitting ministers and legislators. In some constituencies, Congress and independent candidates are also giving a tough fight. PRAKASH DASH, AKASHVANI NEWS, BHUBANESWAR.”
<><><>
Delhi has recorded over 54 percent voting till 7 PM for the Lok Sabha polls. In all seven Lok Sabha seats, maximum voting of over 58 percent was registered in the North East Delhi Lok Sabha constituency while the New Delhi seat recorded the lowest voter turnout of over 51 percent. President Droupadi Murmu, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Senior BJP leaders and Union Ministers Dr S Jaishankar and Hardeep Puri, AAP Convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat and others also exercised their franchise at different polling booths in the early hours of polling. Chief Election Commissioner Rajeev Kumar along with Election Commissioners Gyanesh Kumar and Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu also voted in the city along with Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla.
Inspite of hot weather in the national capital, people came out to vote in large numbers. Despite the facility of Home Voting, many elderly voters above 85 years came to the polling booths. With the end of polling in Delhi, the political fate of 162 candidates including prominent faces like Manoj Tiwari, Bansuri Swaraj and Ramvir Singh Bidhuri of BJP, Kuldeep Kumar and Somnath Bharti of AAP and Jai Prakash Agarwal and Kanhaiya Kumar of Congress were sealed in the EVMs today. With Diwakar, Anupam Mishra, Akashvani News, Delhi.
<><><>
Peaceful polling took place in Haryana today with 64 per cent voting.
Maximum voter turnout was recorded in Sirsa Lok Sabha constituency with 68.9 per cent voting followed by Ambala and Kurukshetra. 223 candidates are in fray for the 10 Lok Sabha seats. More than 20 thousand polling booths were set up all across the state with special arrangements for women, elderly and for voters with special needs. Though the polling percentage in Haryana has declined as compared to previous years, in 2014 voting percentage was 71.44 and in 2019 it was 70.33 per cent. Most prominent candidates who are in fray this time are BJP’s Roa Inderjit Singh, Krishan Pal Gujjar former CM of Haryana Manohar Lal Khattar, Naveen Jindal and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD)’s Abhay Singh Chautala and Sunaina Chautala, JJP’s Naina Chautala and congress candidates Kumari Shelja, Deepinder Hooda and Raj Babbar. AKANKSHA SAXENA, AKASHVANI NEWS, CHANDIGARH.”
<><><>
Polling concluded peacefully at 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh in the sixth phase.
Voting was held today for the bye election of Gainsadi assembly seat in Balrampur district also.
“At some places polling started tittle late due to glitches in EVMs. First time voters were very enthusiastic to cast their votes. Barring some sporadic incidents polling was peaceful on all 14 seats spread over Poorvanchal and Tarai areas. In last elections BJP won 9 of these 14 seats and BSP got four seats while Samajwadi party bagged Azamgarh which the party lost in bye elections. Many stalwarts are in fray on these 14 seats including BJP leaders Menka Gandhi, Harish Dwivedi Jagdambika Pal, Dinesh Lal Yadav Nirahua, Samajwadi party leader, Dharmendra Yadav, Congress leader Ujjwal Raman Singh and Bahujan Samaj party leader Shyam Singh Yadav. SUSHIL CHANDRA TIWARI AKASHWANI NEWS PRAYAGRAJ.”
<><><>
In Bihar, polling passed off by and large peacefully in the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections in eight parliamentary constituencies of Vaishali, Sheohar, Maharajganj, Gopalganj, Siwan, Valmiki Nagar, Purvi and Paschimi Champaran. According to Chief Electoral Office 55.45 percent polling was registered in this phase which is around three percent less in comparison to 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
“Political fortunes of total 86 candidates were sealed today in EVMs in all eight parliamentary constituencies. Former union agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, former MP Lovely Anand, Hena Sahab, wife of former MP Shahbuddin and former Speaker of Bihar State Assembly Awadh Bihari Choudhary were some of the prominent candidates of this phase. Large numbers of voters were seen in queue since early morning to cast their vote. Dharmendra Kumar Rai, Akashvani News, Patna.”
<><><>
In West Bengal, the sixth phase voting ended peacefully today barring some incidents.
“Voting has ended in West Bengal peacefully but some incidents of violence and unrest have been reported. In Tamluk, Ghatal, Medinipur, Kanthi voting, reports of obstructing candidates came in. Purulia, Bankura and Bishnupur, Jhargram have seen peaceful voting. In one major incident at Garbeta under Jhargram PC BJP’ candidate was attacked with bricks and one security personnel was injured. Two cases have been registered in relation to this case. 318 preventive arrests have been made today. To a large extent voting was peaceful in West Bengal. KALYAN LAHA, AKASHVANI NEWS, KOLKATA.”
<><><>
The Election Commission today released the absolute number of voters who cast their votes in the first five phases of Lok Sabha elections asserting that voter turnout data was always available with candidates. It informed that over 50 crore and 72 lakh people exercised their franchise till the first five phases of Lok Sabha polls in the country. As per the data provided by the Commission, over 11 crore 52 thousand people voted in the first Phase of the Lok Sabha polls, over ten crore 58 lakh in the second phase and more than 11 Crore 32 Lakhs people voted in the Third Phase. Over 12 Crore 24 Lakhs people voted in the Fourth Phase and over Five Crore 57 Lakh people exercised their franchise in the fifth phase.
<><><>
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said elections are a big celebration in democracy and an opportunity to inculcate the values of democracy in the minds of future generations. In an interview to DD News, Mr Modi opined that the government or political parties should give an account of their work to the public.
<><><>
Actor Anasuya Sengupta created history by becoming the first Indian to win the Best Actress Award at the 77th Cannes film Festival in France. She bagged the esteemed award for her captivating performance in ‘The Shameless’, written and directed by the Bulgarian filmmaker Constantin Bojanov, in the Un Certain Regard section of the 77th edition of the festival.
Earlier, “Sunflowers were the first ones to know” – a film by Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) student Chidanand S Naik and his team, has won ‘La Cinef’ Award at the Festival.
Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said this is a historic moment for the Indian Cinema. Indian films have been receiving accolades at international stage.
<><><>
In a day adorned with triumphs and jubilation, India emerged victorious across various arenas today. Starting with the Para-Athletics World Championship in Kobe in Japan, the Indian contingent bagged three more medals, one gold and two bronze, taking the total tally to a historic 17 medals, marking the highest ever in the history of this competition. Simran Sharma in the Women’s 200 metres T12 category clinched the Gold medal along with a Paralympics quota. While, Preethi Pal, in the Women’s 100 metres T35 category, and Navdeep in the Men’s Javelin Throw F41 category secured the bronze medals in the chanpionship today.
In Badminton, two time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu stormed into the women’s singles final of the Malaysia Masters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She defeated Busanan Ongbamrungphan of Thailand, 13-21, 21-16, 21-12, even after losing the first game. With Vishnu P.S., shefali singh news desk.
<><><>
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that the deep depression over East central Bay of Bengal will intensify into a cyclonic storm Remal by today and cross between Bangladesh and adjoining West Bengal coasts tomorrow midnight as a severe cyclonic storm. Under its influence, heavy to very heavy rainfall likely over coastal districts of West Bengal, Odisha and Northeastern States for the next four days.
<><><>
THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN :-
- Over 59 per cent voter turnout recorded in 58 constituencies in sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections.
- Voting also held for third phase of Assembly Elections in Odisha.
- Election Commission releases absolute number of voters who cast their votes in the first five phases of Lok Sabha elections; Asserts that voter turnout data was always available with candidates.
- Cyclone Remal likely to make landfall between Bangladesh and West Bengal coasts by midnight tomorrow.
- Anasuya Sengupta creates history becoming the first Indian to win Best Actress at Cannes Film Festival.
- India’s Simran Sharma clinches gold in Women’s 200 metres T12 category at Para-Athletics World Championship in Kobe, Japan.
- In Badminton, PV Sindhu storms into Women’s singles final of Malaysia Masters Badminton in Kuala Lumpur.
<><><>
For details of these stories and more, log on to our website www.newsonair.gov.in and News On Air App.
THAT IS ALL IN THE NEWS AT NINE.
GOOD NIGHT.
<><><>
