Indian elections 2019 live: Violence, faulty EVMs mar final round of voting

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Indian elections 2019 live: Violence, faulty EVMs mar final round of voting

Counting of votes is scheduled for May 23.

By Web Report

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Published: Sun 19 May 2019, 6:32 AM

Last updated: Sun 19 May 2019, 7:24 PM

Indians voted in the seventh and final phase of national elections on Sunday, wrapping up a 6-week-long grueling campaign season with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's nationalist party seeking reelection for another five years.
The voting also covers Modi's constituency of Varanasi, a holy city where he was elected in 2014 with an impressive margin of over 200,000 votes.
He spent Saturday night at Kedarnath, a temple nestled in the Himalayas in northern India.

The last round of election includes 59 constituencies in eight states. Up for grabs are 13 seats in Punjab and an equal number in Uttar Pradesh, eight each in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, nine in West Bengal, four in Himachal Pradesh and three in Jharkhand and Chandigarh.
Counting of votes is scheduled for May 23.
Latest updates:

11:55am

11:45am
Poll code violation: TMC complains to EC against PM The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Sunday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI) against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) on polling day.
"Though the campaign for the last phase of polling for 2019 Lok Sabha elections got over on May 17 at 6 pm, Narendra Modi's Kedarnath Yatra is being covered and widely reported in local media as well as the national for the last two days.
This is a gross violation of the Model Code Of Conduct," said Derek O'Brien, leader of the TMC Parliamentary Party in the Rajya Sabha. Modi announced that the "Master Plan" for the Kedarnath Temple was "ready" and he also addressed the public and the media at Kedarnath, O'Brien alleged.
"It is absolutely unethical and morally incorrect," he said in a letter written to the ECI. He sought immediate action to "stop telecast of such surreptitious and unfair campaign".
11:25am
Congress candidate from Patna Sahib Lok Sabha Constituency, Shatrughan Sinha casts his vote at polling booth in St. Severin's School, Kadam Kuan.
10:55am
Two govt employees on poll duty die in MP: Two government employees engaged in election duty died in separate incidents in Madhya Pradesh, an official said on Sunday.
Garu Singh Chogad, who was deployed at the Jalwat polling booth in Dhar Lok Sabha constituency, died after suffering a heart failure on Sunday morning, state's Chief Electoral Officer VL Kantha Rao told reporters.
10:50am
Stones pelted at BJP candidate in Kolkata: Stones were pelted at BJP's Kolkata North candidate Rahul Sinha near a polling station at Park Circus area. The leader escaped unharmed.
A camera person of a local news channel though sustained minor injury to the head in the incident.
According to state BJP sources, Sinha was attacked while coming out of a polling station near Park Circus Bridge where polling was going on for the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha elections. The BJP leader was safely escorted out of the area by the security personnel and central force officials after the incident.
10:40am
BJP candidate's car 'vandalised': BJP MP candidate Anupam Hazra has alleged that TMC workers were covering their faces at a Jadavpur booth and giving proxy votes. Shortly after he made this allegation, Hazra said TMC goons have beaten up a BJP mandal president, a driver and attacked a car.
10:35am
Locals boycott elections at a booth in Chandora village, Bihar: ANI report
10:30am
Voters in Chandauli claim they were inked before polling: Residents of the Tara Jivanpur village here have alleged that some people forcibly applied ink on their fingers and gave them Rs500 each on Saturday evening.
They were told not to go for polling on Sunday. "They were from the BJP and said that they will vote on our behalf," said one of the villagers. Members of the SP-BSP alliance sat on a dharna at the Ali Nagar police station protesting the incident.
Circle Officer In-charge Sadar Tripurari Pandey said the culprits had escaped by the time the police reached the village after receiving information. An FIR has been registered against three people in the matter.
10:25am
Polling official dies in Gorakhpur: An official on election duty died inside a polling booth on Sunday in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur.
Rajaram, 56, stationed in booth no 381 in Pipraich had started breathing heavily. His colleagues realising that he was unwell, rushed him to the hospital in an ambulance. However, the doctors declared him brought dead. The doctors said he probably suffered a massive heart attack.
Rajaram was working in the office of the Railway General Manager and was on polling duty.
9:55am
EVM malfunction reported at booth in Patna: As polling for the seventh phase of the Lok Sabha elections is underway in seven states and one union territory, EVM malfunction reported at booth number 6 at Pant Nagar in Patna Sahib Lok Sabha constituency.
Congress leader Shatrughan Sinha is seeking to retain the seat for a third consecutive term this time and contesting against BJP leader and Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad from the seat. Prasad casts his vote at booth number 77 at Patna Women's College.
Taking to Twitter before casting vote, Prasad appealed voters to choose a strong, honest and courageous Prime Minister for the country.
"Today is the last phase of polling for the Lok Sabha elections. I request the voters of the entire country, and especially Patna Sahib, that this is a chance to choose a strong, honest and courageous Prime Minister and one of your votes will determine the direction of the country and the world. For this, once again form the Modi government with heavy votes," the BJP leader said.
9:50am
Over 10% voting in Punjab: More than 10 per cent voting was recorded in the first three hours of polling to Punjab's 13 Lok Sabha seats on Sunday in the seventh and final phase of the general elections, officials said.
Voting began at 7am in the constituencies of Patiala, Amritsar, Khadoor Sahib, Jalandhar (SC), Hoshiarpur (SC), Anandpur Sahib, Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib (SC), Faridkot (SC), Ferozpur, Bathinda, Sangrur and Gurdaspur. Polling will end at 6pm.
As of 10am, the highest voter turnout was recorded in the high-profile seat of Patiala at 14 per cent where three-time Congress MP and wife of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Preneet Kaur, is in fray, followed by the Sangrur and Bathinda constituencies at 10 per cent each.
The lowest poll percentage was in Amritsar where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri in his electoral debut against sitting Congress MP Gurjit Aujla. In the state capital Chandigarh, more than 11 per cent voting was recorded for the lone seat.
Congress candidates Gurjit Aujla, Manish Tewari and Kewal Dhillion, Union minister and Akali Dal candidate Harsimrat Kaur Badal, her estranged cousin and state Finance Minister Manpreet Badal and cricketer Harbhajan Singh were among the early voters in the state.
9:46am
9:45am
9:30am
Video: Mohammed Arif, who runs a shop in Varanasi and a fasting Muslim, is frustrated of the long wait at a polling booth.
9:15am
Video: Latest updates from Chandauli, one of the 13 UP constituencies that go to polls today along with Varanasi on the final day of elecrion in India.

8:55am
8.04% voting recorded in Uttar Pradesh:  Only 8.04 per cent voting was recorded in the first two hours of polling to Uttar Pradesh's 13 parliamentary constituencies in the seventh and last phase of the general elections, according to a voter turn-out app.
As of 9 am, the voter turnout was the highest in Kushinagar with an estimated 11.86 per cent, while Ballia recorded the lowest with 5.39 per cent.
Deoria recorded 11.10 per cent, followed by Varanasi (10.87 per cent), Maharajganj (10.17 per cent), Chandauli (9.62 per cent), Bansgaon (9.57 per cent), Ghosi (9.15 per cent), Salempur (9.12 per cent) Robertsganj (9.09 per cent), Gorakhpur (9.04 per cent) and Ballia (5.39 per cent).
The voting figure for the Mirzapur and the Ghazipur parliamentary constituencies were not available.
8:45am
Video: Updates from Anglo Oriental Muslim Inter College in Lallapura, a Muslim dominated neighbourhood in Varanasi constituency, the seat of PM Narendra Modi.

8:35am
Video: Festival-like atmosphere at a polling station in Varanasi.
8:30am
8:25am
Brisk voting in Varanasi
7:45am
7:40am
c
Video: Polling underway in Varanasi, the home constituency of PM Narendra Modi, on the final day of election.
7:30am
One vote will shape India's development trajectory: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to voters to exercise their right in record numbers and said that one vote will shape India's development trajectory.
"Today is the final phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. I urge all those voting in this phase to vote in record numbers. Your one vote will shape India's development trajectory in the years to come.
"I also hope first time voters vote enthusiastically," Modi, who is in Kedarnath, said in a series of tweets.
6:55am
Voting delayed at three booths in Nagerbazar area (DumDum) of West Bengal
6:40am
Harbhajan Singh casts vote in Jalandhar: Cricketer Harbhajan Singh was among the first to cast his vote at a polling booth in this Punjab's town.
The spinner appealed to voters not to miss "an opportunity" to exercise their franchise. At the same he clarified to the media that he has no plan to enter politics.
"There are too many seasoned people in the politics. So I have no plan," he said.
6:30am
Polling begins in Karnataka's two Assembly seats
Polling began on Sunday in Karnataka's two assembly segments -- Chincholi and Kundgol, amid tight security, an official said.
"Voting began at 7am in 241 polling booths in Chincholi and 214 polling stations in Kundgol where 3.83-lakh electorate are enrolled to exercise their franchise," a poll official told IANS. Of the total booths, 60 have been declared critical in Chincholi and 25 in Kundgol.
The polling will end at 6 p.m. Of the total voters, 1,93,869 are in Chincholi and 1,89,313 in Kundgol.



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