India National Elections 2024- Phase one of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, which covered 102 constituencies across 17 States and 4 Union Territories, saw a range of voter turnouts in the early hours of polling on April 19, from 16.33% to 34.54%.
The election was held amid intermittent violent incidents in West Bengal and an IED blast in Chhattisgarh that injured a CRPF commandant. At several booths in Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Assam, there have been reports of minor EVM difficulties.
India National Elections 2024 Describe it.
India National Elections for the 543 contested seats in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament, which is held every five years. A party or alliance requires 272 seats to win a simple majority and take power.
The last time around, the main opposition Indian National Congress (INC) garnered 52 seats, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) got 303 seats. The president of India may designate up to two Anglo-Indians to the Lok Sabha in addition to the disputed seats.
Where and when does it occur?
Seven phases will comprise the conduct of the elections, in part to guarantee adequate security at voting places throughout the large nation. An electronic voting machine, initially deployed in India in 1982 and increasingly commonly since the early 2000s, allows voters to select their preferred option by pressing a button.
After polling is completed on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1, the votes will be tallied on June 4.
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How is it Operational?
The most populous country in the world uses a first-past-the-post election system, in which each constituency has a single candidate, and the one receiving the most votes gets the seat. Contestants must be at least 25 years old, and the voting age is 18.
There are 497 million men and 471 million women among the 968 million registered voters. For the second consecutive year, more women than men are expected to cast ballots.
Manipur Loksabha election –
The primary candidate and who?
Amit Shah, Modi’s de facto deputy, and Rahul Gandhi of the Congress party, the chief opponent, round out the field. Sonia, the matriarch of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty and mother of Gandhi, is not running this time.
Up till 11 a.m., West Bengal registered a 33.56% turnout. But in the Cooch Behar seat, violence marred the voting process. In response to attacks on poll workers, voter intimidation, and other incidents involving poll violence, the TMC and the BJP filed 80 and 39 complaints against one another, respectively, according to insiders from both parties.
About 28.19% of the more than 15.44 lakh voters in the conflict-torn state of Manipur used their right to vote until 11 a.m. Locals and unknown individuals got into a fight in the Thongju Assembly constituency, which is part of the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha seat.
Why does it matter?
Much like Jawaharlal Nehru, the country’s first prime minister, Modi is aiming for a record-tying third consecutive term. In order to achieve his objective of transforming India from a middle-income country into a developed one by 2047,
Modi argues that the National Democratic Alliance, led by the BJP, must win resoundingly again in the upcoming elections. The fifth-largest economy in the world has expanded quickly in recent years, and if Modi wins the election, he is “guaranteed” to move it up to the third rank.
The Hindu population, comprising 80% of the nation’s 1.42 billion inhabitants, is the primary source of support for the BJP. Earlier this year, Modi fulfilled a major party pledge to construct a colossal Hindu temple on a disputed location.
The opposition “INDIA” alliance, which is mostly a centre-left coalition of over two dozen different parties, claims that victory is necessary to preserve the nation’s secular and democratic system, uplift its marginalised populations, increase prices for farmers, and provide jobs for the youth.
Opinion surveys, which have a mixed track record in India, indicate that the Congress alliance would be subjected to yet another bruising by the BJP.
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In the Naxal-affected Bastar Lok Sabha constituency in Chhattisgarh, where an assistant commandant of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was hurt when an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by Naxalites went off in the Bijapur district, more than 28% of voters cast their ballots during the first four hours of voting.
Eight Union Ministers—Nitin Gadkari, Kiren Rijiju, Sarbanada Sonowal, Jitendra Singh, and Bhupendra Yadav—as well as Gaurav Gogoi of the Congress, Kanimozhi of the DMK, and K. Annamalai, the head of the Tamil Nadu BJP—are among the prominent figures involved.
Lok sabha elections 2024: Know your voting rights?
After suffering setbacks in the elections of 2014 and 2019, the members of the opposition INDIA alliance are looking for a comeback, while the BJP-dominated NDA, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is aiming for a larger majority.
CSDS-Lokniti pre-poll survey for 2024 Do voters believe there should be another chance for the current government? The most recent updates are as follows:
Delhi, New CNN — The first and biggest round of India’s protracted general election began with polls opening on Friday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is running for a rare third straight term in this election.
In the most populous nation on earth, polling will take place in seven stages over the course of the next six weeks, with around 969 million people eligible to vote in the largest election in human history.
As Modi’s formidable right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seeks an absolute majority and an order to expand its development and Hindu-nationalist policies implemented during its ten-year rule, the national election is seen as one of the most significant in decades.
India’s economy and culture have changed as a result of these policies, and the BJP’s administration has been characterised by a shift away from India’s secular base and towards Hindu majoritarianism.
During his 73-year leadership, the country of 1.4 billion people has seen fast economic progress, ardent Hindu nationalism, infrastructure and welfare programmes, and a growing global presence.
However, detractors claim Modi is to blame for the polarisation of religion, which has led to an increase in Islamophobia and the persecution of the 230 million Muslims in the nation. It has also been beset by skyrocketing youth unemployment and inequality, especially in rural regions.
Even still, Modi’s popularity is unmatched for a two-term incumbent, and tens of thousands of people regularly attend his rallies. Friday’s voting opened with a message from the leader.
He commented on X, “I implore everyone who is voting in these seats to exercise their right to vote in historic numbers.” “I especially urge young people who are voting for the first time to cast a lot of ballots. Ultimately, each and every voice matters and every vote counts!
India’s 2024 election was conducted smoothly, which the BJP found objectionable, according to TMC leader
“BJP is aware that they are not winning. The West Bengali people are aware of how their rights have been violated, hence their defeat has been assured. Our candidates’ victories in the three Lok Sabha seats of Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, and Jalpaiguri have been verified. West Bengal minister Chandrima Bhattacharyaremarked, “The BJP did not enjoy the peaceful polling that took place. (ANI)
Election in India in 2024: Chennai Central continues to have low voter turnout
The lowest polling in Tamil Nadu occurred in Chennai Central, one of the three Lok Sabha seats in the city, which held voting until 3 p.m. on Friday. Chief Electoral Satyabrata Sahoo reported that the voter turnout in this constituency was 24.09 per cent at 11 a.m., 32.31 per cent at 1 p.m., and 41.47 per cent at 3 p.m.
He informed reporters here that as of 3 p.m., the state had received 51.41 per cent of the vote. The state’s highest turnout at 3 pm was recorded in Dharmapuri, with 57.86 per cent, followed by Namakkal with 57.67 and Kallakurichi with 57.34 per cent. (PTI)
Conclusion
There is no denying that the current BJP continues to hold the upper hand as the race for 2024 heats up. It is the home of the most well-liked politician, strongest political machine, and astute marketing apparatus in India.
The opposition must regroup in the wake of poor state election results. Theoretically, its leaders have reached an agreement on a ceasefire that permits group action against an existential danger.
For the first time in a long while, the Congress Party, beset by accusations of dynasty and nepotism, has presented a leader whose last name is not Gandhi. Whether the various opposition groupings can create a forward-looking political narrative that is both persuasive and adaptable is the question. There is a long way to go for the opposition, and time is not on its side.
FAQS
Who can vote in India?
The Citizenship Act, which provides protection under the 15th Amendment, gives all citizens above the age of 18, the right to vote, regardless of their race, colour, or history of oppression.
What are the alijebiti criteria for voting?
The Election Commission of India states that citizens can only register to vote if they meet the following requirements: they must be 18 years old on the qualifying date, which is January 1st of the current year, in order to be eligible to enrol; they can only register once at their place of residence; and Indian citizens living abroad are considered to be residents of India.
How can I register to vote?
Indian nationals who turn 18 on the qualifying dates (January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1 of the year of revision of the electoral roll) can register to vote online through the Election Commission of India (ECI). Citizens can use the National Voters’ Service Portal at https://voters.eci.gov.in/ to fill out Form 6 online and register as General Voters.
