THE HEADLINES: –
- Sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections to take place tomorrow in 58 parliamentary constituencies in six States and two Union Territories.
- Campaigning gains momentum for seventh and final phase of general elections; Leaders of various political parties make whirlwind tours to garner support.
- Supreme Court refuses to direct Election Commission to disclose booth wise voter turnout after each phase of polling for ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
- Cyclonic storm Remal in Bay of Bengal to hit West Bengal and Bangladesh as a severe cyclonic storm on Sunday.
- In IPL Cricket; Second qualifier match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals underway in Chennai.
<><><>
The stage is all set for the sixth phase of the Lok Sabha polls in 58 Parliamentary Constituencies tomorrow. Spread across six States and two Union Territories in this phase, eight Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, all ten seats in Haryana, four seats in Jharkhand, all seven seats in Delhi, six in Odisha, 14 seats in Uttar Pradesh, eight seats in West Bengal and one Parliamentary Constituency in Jammu and Kashmir will go to polls. Polling for 42 Assembly Constituencies for the Odisha State Assembly will also take place simultaneously. The voting will begin at 7 AM.
Political fate of prominent leaders including senior BJP leaders Dharmendra Pradhan, Maneka Gandhi, Manohar Lal Khattar, Sambit Patra, Bansuri Swaraj and Manoj Tiwari and Congress leaders Deepender Singh Hooda, Kumari Selja, Raj Babbar and Kanhaiya Kumar as well as Samajwadi Party leader Dharmendra Yadav and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti will be sealed in the EVMs.
Around 11.4 lakh Polling officials will welcome over 11.13 crore voters across 1.14 lakh polling stations.
Elaborate arrangements have been made by the Election Commission to ensure smooth and hassle free voting in these areas. Speaking to media ahead of the sixth phase, Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar appealed to all the voters to participate in the festival of democracy.
Our correspondent reports that poll body has specially reminded voters in urban centres like Delhi, Gurgaon, and Faridabad to exercise their right to vote and break the trend of urban apathy.
“Basic facilities ranging from shade, drinking water, ramps, toilets, wheelchairs to electricity are in place to ensure that every voter, including elderly and persons with disabilities, can cast their vote with ease. State Chief Electoral Officers, District Election Officers and State machineries have taken adequate measures to manage hot weather conditions. Security has also been beefed up in the polling areas to avoid any untoward incident and ensure free, and fair polls. A total of 2222 Flying Squads, 2295 Static Surveillance Teams, 819 Video Surveillance Teams and 569 Video Viewing Teams are keeping surveillance round the clock to deal with any form of inducement of voters strictly and swiftly. Suparna Saikia, Akashvani News, Delhi.”
<><><>
In Bihar, polling will be held in eight parliamentary constituencies of Vaishali, Gopalganj, Siwan, Maharajganj, Valmiki Nagar, Sheohar, Purvi Champaran and Paschimi Champaran tomorrow under the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections. A report:
“The police administration and SSB have taken several measures along the international border and inter-state border. In Valmiki Nagar, Purvi Champaran and Paschimi Champaran parliamentary constituencies the border has been sealed along the Indo-Nepal border till the end of the polling. Inter-state border with Uttar Pradesh has also been sealed in Gopalganj and Siwan parliamentary constituencies for the peaceful polling. Dharmendra Kumar Rai, Akashvani News, Patna.”
<><><>
Campaigning has intensified for the seventh and final phase of Lok Sabha polls. Senior leaders of various political parties are leaving no stone unturned to woo the voters.
Polling in this phase will be held for 57 Parliamentary Constituencies across seven states and a Union Territory on the 1st of June. A total of 904 candidates are in the fray in this phase.
Prime Minister and Senior BJP leader Narendra Modi has accused the congress party of speaking the language of Pakistan. Addressing an election rally in Dinanagar of Gurdaspur district of Punjab today he said that the I.N.D.I.A. block is a big threat to the security of the country because the agenda of the congress party is to re-impose Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and encourage terrorism there.
The Prime Minister said today the Congress and Aam Aadmi Party are trying to throw dust in the eyes of the people of the country.
He later addressed a rally in Jalandhar. Earlier in the day the Prime Minister held two election rallies in Shimla and Mandi parliamentary constituencies in Himachal Pradesh.
Congress General Secretary Sachin Pilot campaigned for the party candidate in the Sri Anandpur Sahib Constituency of Punjab today. Addressing an election rally at Nurpur Bedi, he criticized the central government, stating that the BJP at the center has weakened the constitutional institutions and has made the common man poorer by enriching industrialists.
Bahujan Samaj Party’s national president Mayawati addressed a rally in Nawanshahr town of Punjab Taking a dig at the Central Government, she said today farmers are very sad and troubled. She alleged that the Modi Government is privatizing central agencies, which goes against democracy.
Senior BJP leader Amit Shah held rallies in Bihar and Jharkhand today. Leaders of the Grand Alliance from RJD, Congress and Left Parties are also holding rallies in support of their candidates.
<><><>
In the seventh phase of Lok Sabha elections, voting will be held on 13 seats of Uttar Pradesh on the 1st of June. This also includes the Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat, which is one of the important seats of Purvanchal. This time, the BJP has once again nominated sitting MP and Bhojpuri actor Ravi Kishan as its candidate for this seat. Apart from him, 12 other candidates are in the electoral fray here. A report:
“Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat is considered the stronghold of state Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Till 2017, Yogi Adityanath was the MP here for five consecutive terms, but when he left this seat after becoming the Chief Minister of the state, in the 2018 by-election, SP’s Praveen Kumar Nishad defeated BJP’s Upendra Dutt Shukla on this seat. In the 2019 elections, Bhojpuri film star Ravi Kishan won this seat as a BJP candidate by more than three lakh votes. BJP has once again made Ravi Kishan its candidate. SP has fielded Bhojpuri actress Kajal Nishad from the India alliance. Whereas BSP has made Javed Simnani its candidate. All parties have intensified campaigning to ensure victory of their candidates. There are five assembly constituencies under Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat. These include Campierganj, Pipraich, Gorakhpur Urban, Gorakhpur Rural and Sahjanwa. Om Awasthi/AKASHVANI NEWS/Lucknow.”
<><><>
The Supreme Court today refused to issue directions to the Election Commission on a plea for uploading polling booth-wise voter turnout data on its website during the Lok Sabha elections and favoured a hands-off attitude amidst an ongoing electoral process.
A vacation bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Satish Chandra Sharma adjourned the hearing on the application and said it will be heard after the Lok Sabha elections are over.
It said everyone wants free and fair elections but they are also concerned that there could be mischievous people looking to take advantage.
<><><>
Border Security Force- BSF is celebrating its 21st Investiture Ceremony today. In an exclusive interview to Akashvani News on the this occasion, Director General of BSF Nitin Agarwal said the BSF is committed to bolster border security and counter anti-terror activities across the fences. He added the BSF is using high end technology to check the use of drones for illegal activities across the Indo-Pak border. He informed 107 drones sent by Pakistan were shot down by the BSF in 2023. He also described the commendable role played by local communities in helping the BSF to counter unlawful activities across the border.
The interview can be heard right after the bulletin at 9.15 PM on 100.1 Akashvani Gold and additional frequencies of Akashvani. It is also available on all our social media platforms.
<><><>
Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Pande reviewed the Passing Out Parade of 146th Course of National Defence Academy at Khetarpal Parade Ground, NDA, Khadakwasla, Pune today. More from our Pune correspondent…
“It is hardly possible to express in words the emotions that surged in the minds of their parents when the 337 cadets crossed the अन्तिम पग in a rhythm and came out of the academy in this parade that lasted for about one and a half hours. Army Chief General Manoj Pandey expressed his gratitude to these parents and said that they have done an incomparable job by dedicating their sons to the service of the country. For Akashwani News, Manoj Kshirsagar, Pune.”
<><><>
Procurement of wheat during Rabi Marketing Season 2024-25 is going on smoothly in the major procuring states across the country. Over 262 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT) of wheat has already been procured so far this year in the Central Pool surpassing last year’s total procurement of 262.02 LMT.
<><><>
The India Meterorological Department has said that a cyclonic storm, Remal developing in the Bay of Bengal, is expected to hit the coasts of West Bengal and neighbouring Bangladesh as a severe cyclonic storm on Sunday. Our Correspondent reports the depression over the Bay of Bengal is lying nearly 660 Kms from Sagardwip of South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.
“The Alipur Weather office has informed that the depression over the Bay of Bengal is now situated nearly 660 Kms from Sagardwip and 700 Kms from Canning station of South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal.The depression will turn into a cyclone tomorrow and it will be a severe cyclonic storm by the night of 25th May. This cyclonic storm will hit landmass in between Khepupara of Bangladesh and the coast of West Bengal on the 26th May night. Very heavy rain with wind speed of over 100 Kms to 110 Kms will blow over North and South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal on 26th of May. Purba and Paschim Medinipur districts of West Bengal will receive rain tomorrow. The Met office has informed that the cyclonic storm will have no effect over the Lok Sabha election in West Bengal tomorrow.KALYAN LAHA/AKASHVANI NEWS/KOLKATA”
Cyclonic storm Remal is likely to coincide with the voting in eight seats in the sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections in the state tomorrow.
The Election Commission has alerted the district administrations to take all precautionary measures at polling stations in view of the brewing storm.
<><><>
In IPL Cricket, Sunrisers Hyderabad were 168 for 7 in 18.4 overs against Rajasthan Royals in the second Qualifier match at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Earlier Rajasthan Royals won the toss and opted to bowl.
<><><>
THE HEADLINES ONCE AGAIN: –
- Sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections to take place tomorrow in 58 parliamentary constituencies in six States and two Union Territories.
- Campaigning gains momentum for seventh and final phase of general elections; Leaders of various political parties make whirlwind tours to garner support.
- Supreme Court refuses to direct Election Commission to disclose booth wise voter turnout after each phase of polling for ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
- Cyclonic storm Remal in Bay of Bengal to hit West Bengal and Bangladesh as a severe cyclonic storm on Sunday.
- In IPL Cricket; Second qualifier match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals underway in Chennai.
For details of these stories and more, log on to our website www.newsonair.gov.in and News On Air App.
<><><>