Lok Sabha elections in India: Vigorous voting across 102 seats in 21 States

KATHMANDU: The first phase of voting for the Lok Sabha elections, which will take place in seven phases, commences today in India.

The Indian Election Commission has announced that voting will occur in 102 parliamentary seats across 21 states and union territories in this phase.

Although the elections will be held in seven phases, the outcome of the voting in the first phase, with 102 seats, will set the trajectory for forming the government.

A total of 1625 candidates will contest in these 102 Lok Sabha seats.

In the first phase, eight members of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s council of ministers, three former chief ministers, and one former governor will vie for electoral success.

The voting will take place in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry.

In the first phase, voting is underway today for various constituencies across several states in India.

Uttar Pradesh has eight seats up for grabs, West Bengal has three, Bihar has four, Jammu and Kashmir has one, Madhya Pradesh has six, Maharashtra has five, Assam has five, Tripura has one, Chhattisgarh has one, Rajasthan has 12, Manipur has two, Tamil Nadu has all 39, Uttarakhand has five, Arunachal Pradesh has two, Meghalaya has two, while Mizoram, Nagaland, Puducherry, and Sikkim each have one seat being contested. Additionally, voting is also taking place for one seat each in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.