Amid ongoing heatwave conditions in some parts of Southern and Eastern States, the 2024 Lok Sabha elections are set to kick off with polling in 102 constituencies (General- 73; ST- 11; SC-18) across 21 States and Union Territories (UTs). This phase marks the largest of the seven phases of the elections, with 16.63 crore eligible voters. On Thursday, lakhs of polling personnel made their way to their stations in preparation for Friday morning.
The Election Commission (EC) announced on Thursday that it is prepared for the polls to open at 7 am on Friday, with polling parties travelling by ship and boat to reach Lakshadweep's Kiltan Island, officials trekking to remote booths in Arunachal Pradesh' Siang district, and personnel venturing into areas hit by violent insurgencies and crossing rivers to reach millions of voters. Simultaneously, Assembly elections will also be held in Arunachal Pradesh (60 seats) and Sikkim (32 seats).
Meanwhile the BJP's ambition to emerge as a force challenging Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu and determination to retain its strongholds across the country will be put to a stern test on Friday when the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections commence.
If a lot is at stake for the ruling party in the 102 constituencies going to the polls as Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks a stronger majority, the challenge is even bigger for the Opposition INDIA Bloc, whose several constituents are in a battle of survival and hope for a rebound after facing reverses in the 2014 and 2019 elections. The Prime Minister has visited many temples in the run-up to the elections, especially in the days ahead of the Ram temple consecration ceremony in January.
According to the EC, of the total 16.63 crore voters in phase one, there are 8.4 crore male, 8.23 crore female and 11,371 transgender voters. Over 35 lakh first-time electors are also eligible to cast their votes. As many as 1,625 candidates (1,491 male and 134 female) are in the fray. As many as 18 lakh polling personnel will work at 1.87 lakh polling stations. In order to ensure the smooth movement of security forces, the EC said 41 helicopters, 84 special trains and nearly lakh other vehicles had been deployed.
According to the EC, there are 181 polling stations in 21 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu critical and six of the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal as 'financially sensitive'. In Bihar, 5,000 polling booths have been marked as "sensitive", given these districts' long history of naxal violence.
Scores of polling officers have been flown to remote areas in the rugged Himalayas and the Central Indian constituency of Gadchiroli-Chimur, beset by Maoist violence, to which 850 polling staff are being sent, the EC said.
It said a total of 4,627 Flying Squads, 5,208 Statistics Surveillance Teams, 2,028 Video Surveillance Teams and 1,255 Video Viewing Teams are keeping surveillance round the clock to strictly and swiftly deal with any form of inducement of voters. "A total of 1,374 inter-State and 162 international Border check posts are keeping strict vigil on any illicit flow of liquor, drugs, cash and freebies. Strict surveillance has been kept at sea and air routes," the EC said.
Of the 102 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP had won 39 in 2019, with the ruling alliance NDA bagging 12, five and three of them in Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and West Bengal, respectively. The BJP's existing allies hold seven of them.
Polling will be held in all seats of Tamil Nadu (39), Uttarakhand (5), Arunachal Pradesh (2), Meghalaya (2), Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1), Mizoram (1), Nagaland (1), Puducherry (1), Sikkim (1) and Lakshadweep (1).
Besides, there will be voting in 12 seats in Rajasthan, 8 in Uttar Pradesh, 6 in Madhya Pradesh, 5 seats each in Assam and Maharashtra, 4 in Bihar, 3 in West Bengal, 2 seats in Manipur, and one seat each in Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir and Chhattisgarh. Campaigning for the first phase ended Wednesday evening.
On the eve of the Lok Sabha polls' first phase, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Thursday reminded people of the significance of each vote, saying there have been instances when one vote has mattered in a critical contest. Elections are the most beautiful expression of India's democracy and there is "nothing like voting", he said in a video message.
In view of the heatwave, Kumar said people must take all precautions. "But I know the spirit of the Indian voter will beat the summer heat," he said.
"In our great democracy, elections belong to you, the choice belongs to you... You are deciding the Government. You are doing it for your sake, for your family and children, for your village or town and, of course, for the country," he said.
"I call upon the youth to lead a revolution in electoral participation," the Chief Election Commissioner said as he urged people to cast their ballot.
Webcasting will be done in more than 50 per cent of the polling stations along with deployment of micro observers in all polling stations. Additionally, 361 observers -- 127 general, 67 police and 167 expenditure observers -- have already reached their constituencies days before the polls. They will serve as the eyes and ears of the commission. Special observers have also been deployed in certain States.
"Assured Minimum Facilities like water, shed, toilets, ramps, volunteers, wheelchairs, and electricity are in place to ensure that every voter, including elderly and persons with disabilities, can cast their vote with ease. Fifteen model polling stations are being set up across the 102 PCs with local themes. More than 5,000 polling stations will be completely managed by women including security staff and at over 1000 Polling stations by Persons with Disabilities (PwDs)," it said.
Amongst the prominent leaders trying their electoral luck in phase one are Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari from Nagpur, Kiren Rijiju from Arunachal Pradesh (West), Arjun Ram Meghwal from Bikaner, Sarbanada Sonowal from Dibrugarh in Assam, Sanjeev Baliyan from Muzaffarnagar in western UP, Jitendra Singh from Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir and Bhupendra Yadav from Alwar in Rajasthan. Tamilisai Soundararajan, who recently resigned as governor of Telangana and Lt Governor of Puducherry to return to active politics, is contesting from Chennai South Lok Sabha constituency.
Nakul Nath, son of Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, is seeking reelection from Chhindwara.
Of the two Lok Sabha constituencies in Tripura, the seat of West Tripura that votes in the first phase will see a high-voltage clash between former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb and State Congress president Ashish Kumar Saha.
