• Lok Sabha elections 2024 or general elections in India are crossing the half-way mark today, May 13, with the fourth phase of voting which is taking place in 96 constituencies across 10 states and Union Territories.

• A total of 1,717 candidates are contending in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 and more than 19 lakh polling officials have been deployed at 1.92 lakh polling stations for the over 17.70 crore eligible voters, including 8.73 women.

• The Lok Sabha elections 2024 are taking place in seven phases in total. The first three phases took place on April 29, April 26 and May 7. With the fourth phase taking place today, May 13, only three phases remain - May 20, May 25 and June 1.

• Polling will be held today in all 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana, all 25 seats in Andhra Pradesh, 13 in Uttar Pradesh, five in Bihar, four in Jharkhand, eight in Madhya Pradesh, 11 in Maharashtra, four in Odisha, eight in West Bengal and one in Jammu and Kashmir.

Voting for the Phase 4 of Lok Sabha elections 2024 on Monday, May 13, will begin at 7 am in 96 constituencies across 10 states and Union Territories.

The states where voting is taking place in Phase 4 are: Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, West Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir.

The schedule for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 was announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on March 16. Voting for Lok Sabha elections 2024 is taking place in seven phases and started on April 19. The counting of votes will take place on June 4.

While voting for Phase 1 took place on April 19, second phase on April 26, third on May 7 and that for the fourth phase is taking place today, polling for Phase 5 to Phase 7 will take place on: May 20, May 25, and June 1.

• Phase 1/April 19 - 21 states/UTs - 102 constituencies

• Phase 2/April 26 - 13 states/UTs - 88 constituencies

• Phase 3/May 7 - 12 states/UTs - 12 constituencies

• Phase 4/May 13 - 10 states/UTs - 96 constituencies

• Phase 5/May 20 - 8 states/UTs - 49 constituencies

• Phase 6/May 25 - 7 states/UTs - 57 constituencies

• Phase 7/June 1 -  8 states/UTs - 57 constituencies

Lok Sabha Elections Full Schedule Here

• While 1,717 candidates in total are in the fray in the fourth phase of Lok Sabhe elections 2024 taking place today, among the keenly watched contests are those involving former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav (contesting from UP's Kannauj) and Union ministers Giriraj Singh (contesting from Bihar's Begusarai), Nityanand Rai (contesting from Bihar's Ujiarpur) and Raosaheb Danve (contesting from Maharashtra's Jalna).

• Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is contesting against former cricketer Yusuf Pathan and TMC candidate in West Bengal's Baharampur seat in this phase. BJP's Pankaja Munde (Maharashtra's Beed), AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi (Telangana's Hyderabad) and Andhra Pradesh Congress president YS Sharmila (Kadapa) are also some of the prominent candidates in this phase.

• Other well-known faces in this phase are Union minister Ajay Kumar Mishra Teni, whose son is an accused in the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence case. Teni is eyeing a hat-trick from Kheri (UP), while TMC's Mahua Moitra, who was expelled from Lok Sabha in the wake of cash-for-query allegations, is seeking re-election from Krishnanagar in West Bengal.

• Film star-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha is seeking re-election from Asansol where he is pitted against BJP's veteran leader SS Ahluwalia. BJP's former West Bengal president Dilip Ghosh and Trinamool Congress' Kirti Azad are contesting from Bardhaman-Durgapur. READ FULL STORY

Voting is also taking place today to the prestigious Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency of Jammu and Kashmir with 24 candidates in the fray, whose fate over 17 lakh voters are expected to seal. It is the first major election in Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.

The National Conference has fielded influential Shia leader Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi while youth leader Waheed Para is contesting on the People's Democratic Party ticket. The Apni Party has fielded Ashraf Mir, while the BJP is not contesting. The BJP-led NDA has MPs from over 40 of these 96 seats that will go to polls on Monday.

Voting is taking place in seven phases in the Lok Sabha or general elections 2024 in India. While votes are being polled for the fourth phase today, the voter turnout in the first three phases of the Lok Sabha elections was 66.14 per cent, 66.71 per cent and 65.68 per cent, respectively.

The EC has attributed heatwave conditions as one of the reasons for lower voter turnout in the last three phases as compared to the 2019 parliamentary polls.

Citing an India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast, the poll authority on Sunday said that "there is no significant concern regarding hot weather conditions for the polling in Phase 4."

As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast, the Election Commission of India is expecting "no significant concern regarding hot weather conditions for the polling in Phase 4."

The IMD predicts that the parliamentary constituencies going to polls are likely to experience normal to below normal temperatures and there will be no heatwave-like conditions in these areas on polling day. Keeping in mind the hot weather conditions and people's reluctance to step out in the afternoon, the Election Commission has increased poll timing in some Telangana seats.

While the usual hours of voting are from 7 am to 6 pm, they are curtailed keeping in mind the terrain, time of sunset and security situation.

Apart from Phase 4 of Lok Sabha elections, voting is also taking place for Andhra Pradesh and Odisha state assembly elections today, May 13. Voting will simultaneously be held in all 175 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, which is witnessing a triangular contest involving ruling YSRC, the Congress-led INDIA bloc and the NDA, comprising the BJP, Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP and Pawan Kalyan-led Jana Sena Party (JSP).

As many as 28 legislative assembly seats of Odisha are also going to polls in this phase. Odisha assembly elections 2024 are taking place in four phases - May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. Today, four Lok Sabha constituencies in Odisha and all 25 of Andhra Pradesh are also voting. READ FULL STORY

With the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 just around the corner, the Election Commission of India has started issuing voter slips and sending them to the houses of eligible voters. However, not all eligible voters have received their voter slips.

With several voters yet to receive their voter slips, a common question arises - can I still cast a vote in the elections without a slip?

The answer is YES. Eligible voters can vote without the slips if their name is mentioned on the electoral roll. Know More On This And Other Election FAQs Here

Voting is taking place in 13 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh in the fourth phase, with all eyes on the prestigious Kannauj seat from where Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav is seeking a re-election.

Another prominent candidate in the fray in this round is Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni, who is contesting from Kheri.

Voting will take place in Shahjahanpur (SC), Kheri, Dhaurahra, Sitapur, Hardoi (SC), Misrikh (SC), Unnao, Farrukhabad, Etawah (SC), Kannauj, Kanpur, Akbarpur and Bahraich (SC). A total of 130 candidates are in the poll fray in this phase.

ALSO READ | Lok Sabha 2024: Key Faces On The Cards For Phase 4

The Congress's has been appealing to voters in Indore Lok Sabha constituency of Madhya Pradesh to select the NOTA option on the polling day on May 13 has triggered a sharp war of words between the opposition party and the ruling BJP on social media.

The Congress' appeal comes against the backdrop of the last-minute withdrawal of nomination by the party candidate Akshay Kanti Bam on April 29, who joined the BJP.

Seeking to blunt the Congress' campaign, the BJP has asked voters to shun the None of The Above (NOTA) option and re-elect party MP Shankar Lalwani by a huge margin.

ALSO READ | After BJP's Surat Lok Sabha Win, NOTA Debate Takes Over Social Media

While Congress is targeting the BJP with the slogan "Note ka Jawab Nota", the saffron party has retorted saying, "Your coin is counterfeit".

It has been 10 years since the separation, but Andhra Pradesh (AP) is still hurting for Hyderabad. It was the soul of our state, says a fisherman by the banks of the serene Godavari on a balmy, breezy evening a little out of Rajahmundry (or Rajamahendravaram now). It was the best jewel. ‘Heera tha hamara’, says a lady selling ripe, bright yellow Banganapalle mangoes in a market in Vijayawada. “I will never vote for the Congress because they split the state,” remarks an elderly autorickshaw driver in Guntur.

Not that the Congress counts in these elections in AP, simultaneously being held for both the assembly and the Lok Sabha. Or the BJP, for that matter. It’s a straight fight between the two regional parties—the incumbent Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party or the YSRCP headed by the youthful Jagan Mohan Reddy and the veteran N Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP (Telugu Desam Party). The BJP is the junior partner in alliance with the TDP and Pawan Kalyan’s party (actor and brother of actor-cum-politician Chiranjeevi), the Jana Sena. READ FULL STORY

Voting is taking place today in all 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana and will begin at 7 am. Keeping in mind the hot weather conditions and people's reluctance to step out in the afternoon, the Election Commission has increased poll timing in some Telangana seats.

While the usual hours of voting are from 7 am to 5 pm, they are curtailed keeping in mind the terrain, time of sunset and security situation. The new timing would be 7 am to 6 pm against the earlier 7 am to 5 pm.

Voting has begun from 7 am in 96 constituencies across 10 states and Union Territories for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024. Voting is taking place in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, West Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir.

This phase will seal the fate of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Union Minister Girigraj Singh, and Trinamool Congress's firebrand leader Mahua Moitra among many bigwig politicians from multiple political parties. Along with Phase 4 of Lok Sabha elections 2024, voting is also taking place simultaneously for the Andhra Pradesh and Odisha assembly elections.

An eco-friendly polling station has been established at the Dandamunda village in Chandahandi Block of the Nabarangpur Lok Sabha constituency in Odisha. BJP's Balabhadra Majhi, BJD's Pradeep Majhi and Congress' Bhujabala Majhi are contesting the from this seat.

As many as 28 legislative assembly seats of Odisha are going to polls in this phase. Odisha assembly elections 2024 are taking place in four phases - May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. Today, four Lok Sabha constituencies in Odisha and all 25 of Andhra Pradesh are also voting.

Along with all 25 Lok Sabha seats, voting is simultaneously taking place in all 175 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh today, May 13. Andhra Pradesh is witnessing a triangular contest involving ruling YSRC, the Congress-led INDIA bloc and the NDA, comprising the BJP, Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP and Pawan Kalyan-led Jana Sena Party (JSP).

AIMIM chief Assaduddin Owaisi, who has not been part of any alliances so far, is also in fray for Monday's voting.

The YSR Congress campaign centred around the welfare measures that it implemented during the past five years while the NDA highlighted the "failures" of the state government and the doles it would provide, if voted to power in the state and the job creation it would do.

Besides PM Modi, several union ministers including Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah, and Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge undertook poll campaigns for their respective party candidates. READ FULL REPORT ON ANDHRA PRADESH ELECTIONS

You can still cast your vote if you have misplaced the physical copy of your voter ID card or forgot to take it with you to the booth on the polling day, as per the Election Commission of India (ECI) guidelines. However, there are a few things that one needs to ensure to be able to cast a vote without a physical copy of the Voter ID card.

Here's how you can vote without a physical copy of a Voter ID card:

-While physical Voter ID is not required, a voter should be enrolled with EPIC

-Voter does not have to remember the EPIC number (Voter ID number)

-Voter's names should be mentioned in the electoral list

-Carry a government-issued photo identity card to polling booth

-Voter registration is mandatory

A voter can check the EPIC number on their Voter ID card to find out which polling booth they are supposed to vote at.

What is EPIC number

The Election Photo ID Card (EPIC), also known as the Voter ID card, has a unique 10-digit alpha-numeric code which is assigned by the Election Commission of India (ECI). The number is a proof that you are a registered voter.

On any Voter ID card, the EPIC code is on the front. One can also get the EPIC number from the National Voters' Service Portal (NVSP).

How to find EPIC number online?

• Open the official NVSP portal.

• Under ‘Services’, click on ‘Search in Electoral Roll'.

• Select ‘Search by Details’ or ‘Search by Mobile’.

• Fill the required details in to see the EPIC code.

How To Find Polling Booth With EPIC Number

• Visit electoralsearch.eci.gov.in.

• Enter the EPIC code, state, captcha code, and click ‘Search.’

• The booth details will be displayed on the screen of your device.

Voting is being held in all seven phases for the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal. Here's the West Bengal Lok Sabha election 2024 schedule:

Phase: 1 (April 19)

1. Coochbehar SC,

2. Alipurduars ST,

3. Jalpaiguri SC

West Bengal - Phase 2 (April 26)

1. Darjeeling GEN,

2. Raiganj GEN,

3. Balurghat GEN

Phase 3 (May 7)

1. Maldaha Uttar GEN,

2. Maldaha Dakshin GEN,

3. Jangipur GEN,

4. Murshidabad GEN

Phase 4 (May 13)

1. Baharampur GEN,

2. Krishnanagar GEN,

3. Ranaghat SC,

4. Bardhaman Purba SC,

5. Bardhaman - Durgapur GEN,

6. Asansol GEN,

7. Bolpur SC,

8. Birbhum GEN

Phase 5 (May 20)

1. Bangaon SC,

2. Barrackpur GEN,

3. Howrah GEN,

4. Uluberia GEN,

5. Sreerampur GEN,

6. Hooghly GEN,

7. Arambag SC

Phase 6 (May 25)

1. Tamluk GEN,

2. Kanthi GEN,

3. Ghatal GEN,

4. Jhargram ST,

5. Medinipur GEN,

6. Purulia GEN,

7. Bankura GEN,

8. Bishnupur SC

Phase 7 (June 1)

1. Dum Dum GEN

2. Barasat GEN

3. Basirhat GEN

4. Jaynagar SC

5. Mathurapur SC

6. Diamond Harbour GEN

7. Jadavpur GEN

8. Kolkata Dakshin GEN

9. Kolkata Uttar GEN

Actor Allu Arjun was among the early voters in Telangana and was seen casting his vote at a polling booth in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad. Voting is taking place for all the 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana today.

After a high decibel campaign, including by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top leaders of Congress and BRS, polling began at 7 AM and will end by 6 PM, barring a few places where it will conclude two hours earlier.

"Please cast your vote. It is the responsibility of all the citizens of the country. Today is the most crucial day for the next 5 years. There will be a huge voter turnout, as more and more people are coming out to vote...I would like to tell, I am not politically aligned with any party. I am neutral to all parties," actor Allu Arjun said after casting vote.

Madhavi Latha, BJP's Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat candidate, said on Monday, "I only have to tell all the voters that it is the responsibility of every citizen that they need to go out to vote because the vote brings two changes - 1) a new change and development towards themselves and their families, 2) it gives an opportunity to change the lives of downtrodden, Dalits, poor and the lives of every elderly people who have been abandoned."

"Vote is the most precious social work along with a selfish desire to move towards development...," Madhavi Latha said.

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi is seeking re-election from the party's bastion- the Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency- and the BJP has fielded a political novice but enthusiastic K Madhavi Latha who ran a spirited campaign.

Actor Jr NTR was seen at a polling booth in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad to cast his vote. Voting is taking place for all the 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana today.

Actor Allu Arjun was also among the early voters in Telangana and was seen casting his vote at a polling booth in Jubilee Hills.

Voters queue up outside polling booths in Jammu and Kashmir, where voting is taking place today to the prestigious Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency with 24 candidates in the fray, whose fate over 17 lakh voters are expected to seal.

It is the first major election in Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. National Conference (NC) has fielded Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi from the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat, PDP fielded Waheed-ur-Rehman Para, and J&K Apni Party’s fielded Mohammad Ashraf Mir.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy cast vote at Bhakarapuram in Pulivendula constituency today. Along with all 25 Lok Sabha seats, voting is simultaneously taking place in all 175 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh today, May 13.

Andhra Pradesh is witnessing a triangular contest involving ruling YSRC, the Congress-led INDIA bloc and the NDA, comprising the BJP, Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP and Pawan Kalyan-led Jana Sena Party (JSP).

Voting is underway for four Polling for four Lok Sabha constituencies and 28 assembly seats in Odisha amid heavy security. Voting started at 7 am in Berhampur, Koraput, Nabarangpur, and Kalahandi parliamentary constituencies along with 28 assembly segments within the jurisdiction of these Lok Sabha seats.

Polling will continue till 6 pm with adjustments in certain remote and Maoist-hit areas, where voting will conclude earlier, the officials said.

Urgng vters to come out in large numbers to vote, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on microblogging platform X on Monday, "Let us do our duty and strengthen democracy".

"In the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections, voting is being held today on 96 seats in 10 states and union territories. I am confident that people will vote in large numbers on all these seats, in which youth and women voters will participate enthusiastically. Let us do our duty and strengthen democracy!" posted PM Modi.

It was 2019. Months before a lethal virus snatched away over five lakh lives in the country. These were the deaths that were accounted for by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in official documents. But some like Sankapaka Ramalu, who died in Saudi Arabia where he had gone in search of a job, only live on in their families’ memories. Ramalu’s remains have still not been returned to his wife, Lakshmi and son, Harish, who live in a cramped one-bedroom house in Nagireddipur village in Karimnagar district of Telangana. Harish has his own family of two but little means to support them. “We know he has died…but how will our conscience be clear until we see his remains?” asks Lakshmi, her eyes welling up. READ FULL REPORT

How To Find Polling Booth With EPIC Number

• Visit electoralsearch.eci.gov.in.

• Enter the EPIC code, state, captcha code, and click ‘Search.’

• The booth details will be displayed on the screen of your device.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav cast his vote at a polling station in Ujjain today. Polling began Monday morning for eight Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh in the fourth and last phase of general elections in the state, an official said.

Polling began at 7 am and will end at 6 pm in Ratlam, Dhar, Khargone, Dewas, Ujjain, Mandsaur, Indore and Khandwa constituencies, the official said.

In Indore, the 'None of the above (NOTA)' option has unexpectedly hit headlines after Congress candidate Akshay Kanti Bam withdrew his nomination at the last minute and joined the BJP.

As Bam's move set the stage for a one-sided contest for BJP's Shankar Lalwani, who won from Indore by nearly 5.4 lakh votes last time, the Congress urged voters to hit the NOTA button.

Of the total 29 seats in Madhya Pradesh, polling was held in 21 in three phases on April 19, April 26 and May 7. Votes will be counted on June 4.

Hyderabad, Telangana: Actor Chiranjeevi Konidela was seen at a polling booth in Telangana's Hyderabad, which is among the 17 constituencies of the state where voting is taking place today, in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024.

After casting his vote, Chiranjeevi Konidela said, "I request people to exercise their right to vote. Please come and cast your vote..."

Andhra Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Mukesh Kumar Meena on Monday said three TDP polling agents who were allegedly kidnapped in Chittoor district have been traced and secured.

According to a press release from the CEO's office, the TDP agents were kidnapped from Bokaramanda village in Chittoor district's Sadum mandal, which falls under the Punganuru Assembly constituency.

"TDP district in-charge Jagan Mohan Raju complained that TDP agents belonging to polling stations 188, 189 and 199 were kidnapped by YSRCP leaders while going to the polling stations," said Meena.

(via PTI)

BJP leader Agnimitra Paul was seen casting her vote at a polling booth in Asansol Lok Sabha constituency of West Bengal. The constituency sees the contest between TMC's Shatrughan Sinha and BJP's SS Ahluwalia.

A Trinamool Congress (TMC) worker was reportedly killed when unidentified men lobbed a crude bomb at him in Bolpur, Purba Bardhaman district.

The victim, Mintu Sheikh, was returning home late on Sunday night when he was attacked. Locals said he died on the spot, an indiatoday.in report said.

Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan was seen giving his vote at a polling booth in Mangalagiri of Andhra Pradesh. Voting for Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections and the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 are taking place simultaneously today.

An approximate voter turnout of 10.35 per cent has been recorded as at 9 am in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 currently underway in 96 contituencies across 10 states and Union Territories.

An approximate voter turnout of 10.35 per cent has been recorded as at 9 am in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 currently underway in 96 constituencies across 10 states and Union Territories.

West Bengal is leading the charts at 15.24 per cent, while Madhya Pradesh is a close second with 14.97 per cent polling till 9 AM. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir and Maharashtra have recorded the lowest turnout so far at 5.07 per cent and 6.45 per cent, respectively.

Here's the state-wise breakup of voter turnout till 9 am:

1. Andhra Pradesh: 9.05%

2. Bihar: 10.18%

3. Jammu and Kashmir: 5.07%

4. Jharkhand: 11.78%

5. Madhya Pradesh: 14.97%

6. Maharashtra: 6.45%

7. Odisha: 9.23%

8. Telangana: 9.51%

9. Uttar Pradesh: 11.67%

10. West Bengal: 15.24%

A voter turnout of 6.45 per cent was recorded till 9 am on Monday as polling was underway in 11 of the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra during the fourth phase of the general elections, as per data shared by authorities.

Polling began at 7 am and will end at 6 pm in Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Raver, Jalna, Aurangabad, Maval, Pune, Shirur, Ahmednagar, Shirdi, and Beed constituencies, an official said.

Voting is taking place in all 25 Lok Sabha seats and all 175 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh today, May 13. As at 9 am, Andhra Pradesh has recorded a voter turnout of 9.05 per cent in Lok Sabha seats while a turnout of 9.21% has been logged in the assembly seats.

Voting is underway for four Polling for four Lok Sabha constituencies and 28 assembly seats in Odisha amid heavy security. Voting started at 7 am in Berhampur, Koraput, Nabarangpur, and Kalahandi parliamentary constituencies along with 28 assembly segments within the jurisdiction of these Lok Sabha seats.

As at 9 am, Odisha's Lok Sabha seats have recorded a turnout of 9.23 per cent while 9.25 per cent polling has been recorded in assembly seats.

After casting vote, the PDP candidate from Srinagar, Waheed Parra, urged people across Kashmir to come out and vote, saying it has been five years and it is high time people choose their representative. "Many people want to derail the process and try to cause obstruction... Many of our party workers and polling agents have been arrested by the police. They are trying to have a slow polling process," he said.

"I want to urge the people, media, and the Election Commission to strengthen the process and ensure transparency... For the first time, new voters of Kashmir are coming out to vote. We should take it positively and the government should encourage the process rather than trying to derail it... Violence has reduced in the last five years but the way the government facilitates voting plays a major role...," he added.

Voting is taking place today to the prestigious Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency with 24 candidates in the fray, whose fate over 17 lakh voters are expected to seal. It is the first major election in Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. National Conference (NC) has fielded Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi from the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat, PDP fielded Waheed-ur-Rehman Para, and J&K Apni Party’s fielded Mohammad Ashraf Mir.

BJP's Amrita Roy is pitted against TMC's firebrand leader Mahua Moitra in the Krishanagar constituency of West Bengal. Amrita Roy on Monday said, "...10 years back, the offer came and I declined because I thought this was a very difficult thing - a taboo - and people like me cannot handle such things. But then again BJP offered the seat to me and I declined yet again. Later, I accepted it. When I have accepted, I will do justice to my position..."

Wearing turban, Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered prayers and was seen preparing and serving 'langar' (community meal) at the Patna Sahib gurdwara in Bihar on Monday.

None of the Above (NOTA) in EVMs is an option for voters who do not wish to cast vote for any candidate. On the Ballot Units (BU), below the name of the last candidate, there is a button for NOTA option which allows voters who do not want to vote for any of the candidates to exercise the option. 

READ MORE | What is NOTA? How Does It Affect Poll Results? | Know About It

Similarly, Postal Ballot Papers also have a NOTA Panel after the name of the last candidate. The symbol for NOTA as given below will be printed against the NOTA Panel.

A scuffle broke out between the workers of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal's Birbhum on Monday amid the Phase 4 voting for Lok Sabha elections 2024.

On Sunday, a Trinamool Congress (TMC) worker was reportedly killed when unidentified men lobbed a crude bomb at him in Bolpur, Purba Bardhaman district.

The victim, Mintu Sheikh, was returning home late on Sunday night when he was attacked. Locals said he died on the spot, an indiatoday.in report said.

An approximate voter turnout of 24.87 per cent has been recorded as at 11 am in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 currently underway in 96 contituencies across 10 states and Union Territories.

An approximate voter turnout of over 24 per cent has been recorded as at 11 am in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 currently underway in 96 constituencies across 10 states and Union Territories.

West Bengal is leading the charts at 32.78 per cent, while Madhya Pradesh is a close second with 32.38 per cent polling till 9 AM. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir and Maharashtra have recorded the lowest turnout so far at 14.94 per cent and 17.51 per cent, respectively.

Here's the state-wise breakup of voter turnout till 9 am:

1. Andhra Pradesh: 23.10%

2. Bihar: 22.54%

3. Jammu and Kashmir: 14.94%

4. Jharkhand: 27.40%

5. Madhya Pradesh: 32.98%

6. Maharashtra: 17.51%

7. Odisha: 23.28%

8. Telangana: 24.31%

9. Uttar Pradesh: 27.12%

10. West Bengal: 32.78%

Voting is taking place in all 25 Lok Sabha seats and all 175 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh today. As at 11 am, Andhra Pradesh has recorded a voter turnout of 23.10 per cent in Lok Sabha seats while a Bihaof 23 per cent has been logged in the assembly seats.

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy cast vote in his Assembly constituency of Kodangal in the election to 17 Lok Sabha seats in Telangana on Monday.

Revanth Reddy, who was accompanied by his family members, exercised franchise at a government school in Kodangal in Vikarabad district, official sources said.

An approximate voter turnout of 24.31 per cent was reported till 11 am in Telangana.

Voting is underway for four Polling for four Lok Sabha constituencies and 28 assembly seats in Odisha amid heavy security. Voting started at 7 am in Berhampur, Koraput, Nabarangpur, and Kalahandi parliamentary constituencies along with 28 assembly segments within the jurisdiction of these Lok Sabha seats.

As at 11 am, Odisha's Lok Sabha and assembly seats have recorded a turnout of 23.28 per cent per cent.

Addressing a rally in Bihar's Hajipur on Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked voters to vote for NDA "to help form a strong government at Centre".

Here's What Else PM Modi Said At The Rally In Bihar | Top Quotes

"RJD, Congress can't think about development of Bihar."

"RJD, Congress indulging in politics of appeasement."

"RJD leader convicted in fodder scam says Muslims should be given reservation."

"NDA fights for social justice, 60 per cent Union ministers from OBCs, SCs, STs."

"Kidnapping, extortion flourished during RJD rule in Bihar."

"During NDA rule, 3,300 km of national highways and 400 railway overbridges built in Bihar."

It was 7 PM. Syed Imtiaz, 35, was returning home. The bank in Bodh Gaya where he worked was about 30 km from his residence in Sherghati. He would take a bus and leave from office by 5 PM every day because these routes were not considered to be safe after sunset. On that fateful day, he rode to his office on his newly-purchased bike, but got late while returning.

While he was crossing the Sagahi Bridge, two gun-toting men stopped him. He could guess who they were and what may happen next. A petrified Imtiaz jumped off the bridge. The two men fled with his new bike. They were bahubalis. The Yadavs. They were a terror in the Magadh region then. It was the 90s. READ FULL STORY

SS Rajamouli, the maker of the blockbuster film 'Bahubali, said he flew from Dubai and "rushed" to the polling booth directly from airport to cast vote.

Taking to microblogging platform X, the filmmaker said, “Flew from Dubai… Rushed to the polling booth directly from the airport, hence the tired looks... (smiling face emoji) Done! YOU?”

Former Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan cast her vote at a polling booth in Madhya Pradesh's Indore on Monday and appealed to everyone to come out and cast their votes wisely.

"We need to elect good people who are working for the development of the country. We need to remove negativity...," she said.

Even though 14 candidates are in the fray in Indore, the main fight is between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the 'None of the above (NOTA)' option. 

The NOTA option has unexpectedly hogged the limelight after Congress candidate Akshay Kanti Bam withdrew his nomination at the last minute and joined the BJP on April 29. READ MORE HERE

YSRCP leader and Tenali MLA A Shiva Kumar allegedly manhandled a voter at Tenali following an argument with voters, which also resulted in the voter retaliating, according to police.

The altercation reportedly happened when the voter, who was standing in a queue to cast his vote, objected to the MLA's attempt to jump the line and cast his vote without waiting. The MLA, in turn, physically assaulted the voter.

Out of jail on interim bail, AAP supremo and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal addressed party workers on Monday and alleged that he was "humiliated" in prison. "They tried to humiliate me; feed from 2 CCTV cameras in my cell monitored by 13 officers," Kejriwal said in meeting with AAP councillors.

If INDIA bloc comes to power after June 4, I will be back next day, Kejriwal told AAP councillors.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday lashed out at the opposition INDIA bloc, calling its leaders “cowards” who were “scared of Pakistan’s nuclear power”. Addressing an election rally in Muzaffarpur Lok Sabha constituency of Bihar, Modi made an apparent reference to a recent statement of National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, without mentioning him by name.

“The INDIA bloc seems to have leaders who are scared of Pakistan and have nightmares of its nuclear power,” he said.

The remarks come in the backdrop of comments by Abdullah about Pakistan having atom bombs and not wearing bangles.

BJP candidate from Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency, Madhavi Latha was booked after she visited a polling booth in the constituency while voting was on in the fourth phase of general polls on Monday. Hyderabad Colletor's X account said in a post that a case was registered in Malakpet Police Station against BJP candidate from Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency, Madhavi Latha u/s of the IPC and the Representation of the People Act.

Madhavi Latha was reportedly asking burqa-clad Muslim women at the polling booth to reveal their faces so that she can match them with the photographs on their voter ID cards.

An approximate voter turnout of 40.32 per cent has been recorded till 1 pm in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024. West Bengal is still leading the polling charts with 51.87 per cent voting percentage while Jammu and Kashmir has recorded the lowest turnout at 23.57 per cent.

An approximate voter turnout of 40.32 per cent has been recorded till 1 pm in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024. West Bengal is still leading the polling charts with 51.87 per cent voting percentage while Jammu and Kashmir has recorded the lowest turnout at 23.57 per cent.

Here's the state-wise voter turnout at 1 pm:

Andhra Pradesh 40.26%

Bihar 34.44%

Jammu And Kashmir 23.57%

Jharkhand 43.80%

Madhya Pradesh 48.52%

Maharashtra 30.85%

Odisha 39.30%

Telangana 40.38%

Uttar Pradesh 39.68%

West Bengal 51.87%

Andhra Pradesh has records 40.26 per cent voter turnout till 1 pm in the elections to its State Legislative Assembly and even on the Lok Sabha seats.

Voting is taking place simultaneously for Lok Sabha and state elections in Andhra Pradesh on Monday, May 13. All 25 Lok Sabha seats and all 175 Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh are voting together.

Odisha, where simultaneous voting is taking place for Lok Sabha and assembly seats, has recorded a voter turnout of 39.30 per cent for both as on 1 pm.

Voting is underway for four Polling for four Lok Sabha constituencies and 28 assembly seats in Odisha amid heavy security.

The BJP on Monday accused the ruling YSR Congress in Andhra Pradesh of unleashing "unprecedented violence" to target National Democratic Alliance workers and sought the Election Commission's intervention.

The party wrote to the poll body even as voting was for the assembly and Lok Sabha was being held in the state. It claimed that police were acting as mute spectators and not ensuring free and fair elections.

Congress candidate from Raebareli Rahul Gandhi held an election rally in the constituency on Monday as the fourth phase of the 18th Lok Sabha election voting is taking place in several places across the country.

Gandhi spoke about the historical contribution of Raebareli in Indian politics during his speech, he said, "There was a farmers' movement. People of Raebareli taught politics to Jawaharlal Nehru. He became PM and laid the foundation of country. In a way, Raebareli laid the political foundation of Hindustan. Then came Indira Gandhi, green revolution, bank nationalisation happened. Raebareli also had a contribution. Then Sonia Gandhi came and now I am here. Political relation is different to personal relation. I launched Mohabbat ki Dukaan. You reciprocated. I will fight with you. You welcomed me, I thank you."

Indore resident Gurdeep Kaur Vasu is speech, hearing and visually-impaired, but happiness was clearly visible on her face after she cast her vote at a polling booth here on Monday.

The 32-year-old woman overcame physical challenges to reach the polling booth for the second time in her life.

Her mother Manjeet Kaur Vasu, who accompanied her for help, told PTI that her daughter cast her vote at a polling booth in Vaishali Nagar in Madhya Pradesh's Indore city.

"Gurdeep was very excited since Monday morning that she had to go to cast her vote. The happiness doubled after she exercised her franchise," she said.

- PTI

Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Monday submitted his nomination papers for the candidacy of Hamirpur Lok Sabha seat in Himachal Pradesh.

Before filing his nomination, Thakur paid obeisance at the temple of Maa Awahdevi and addressed people at several places. Hundreds of party functionaries and locals greeted him with garlands and wished him luck.

The Congress has fielded Satpal Raizada, a former MLA of Una, as its candidate against Anurag Thakur.

Polling in all four Lok Sabha seats in Himachal Pradesh will be held in the last of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections on June 1.

Election authorities on Monday booked BJP candidate for Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat K Madhavi Latha after a video clip in which she was purportedly asking burqa-clad women Muslim voters to show their faces to compare with the photo identity cards surfaced.

In the video, Latha was seen asking the women voters at a polling booth to lift the burqa and show their face so that she could verify the identity.

"A case is registered in Malakpet police station against Madhavi Latha, contesting candidate, BJP, under Sections 171C, 186, 505(1)(c) of IPC and Section 132 of the Representation of the People Act," the Hyderabad Collector said in a post on X.

An approximate voter turnout of 52.6 per cent has been recorded till 3 pm in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024. West Bengal is still leading the polling charts with 66.05 per cent voting percentage while Jammu and Kashmir has recorded the lowest turnout at 29.93 per cent.

Here's the state-wise voter turnout at 3 pm:

Andhra Pradesh 55.49%

Bihar 45.23%

Jammu And Kashmir 29.93%

Jharkhand 56.42%

Madhya Pradesh 59.63%

Maharashtra 42.35%

Odisha 52.91%

Telangana 52.34%

Uttar Pradesh 48.41%

West Bengal 66.05%

Scores of displaced Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu were unable to vote on Monday in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections due to their names missing from the electoral rolls.

Even as KPs lined up across special polling stations in Jammu amid tight security, several of them had to return without casting their vote.

Veena, a resident of Jagti camp and a migrant from the erstwhile Habbakadal area of Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency told PTI, "I came to the polling station with three members of my family to cast our votes despite such heat. We carried our EPIC (Voter ID) cards too. But we found our names missing from the electoral roll. It is a denial of our right to vote."

She said what's the use of the voter ID card if that is not enough.

"They (EPIC) should be cancelled by ECI. The government wants us to vote but at the same time has a process that denies us the right to exercise our franchise."

A scuffle broke out between police and locals outside Booth No. 85 in Mirzapur Khagdupara of Beldanga block in West Bengal's Murshidabad during fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections on Monday.

RJD president Lalu Prasad's eldest daughter Misa Bharti on Monday filed her nomination papers for Patliputra Lok Sabha seat, which she seeks to wrest from her father's former confidant Ram Kripal Yadav, who is now in the BJP.

Bharti was accompanied by Prasad, besides her mother and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi and other senior party leaders during the filing of nomination papers.

This is the third time in a row that Bharti will be trying her luck against Yadav on the seat covering rural areas of Patna district.

Shortly afterwards, they headed towards Shri Krishna Memorial Hall in the city where a rally was organised to drum up support for Bharti, who is also a second term Rajya Sabha MP.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has begun his roadshow from Lanka Chowk in Varanasi on Monday. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath is also present with him.

PM Modi is the sitting MP and candidate from Varanasi. Congress has fielded UP party chief Ajay Rai from Varanasi.

In view of the Lok Sabha election campaign, Aam Aadmi Party released the list of star campaigners for Punjab. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and his wife Sunita Kejriwal's name also included in the list.

An approximate voter turnout of 62.31 per cent has been recorded till 5 pm in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024. West Bengal is still leading the polling charts with 75.66 per cent voting percentage while Jammu and Kashmir has recorded the lowest turnout at 35.75 per cent.

Here's the state-wise voter turnout at 3 pm:

Andhra Pradesh 68.04%

Bihar 54.14%

Jammu And Kashmir 35.75%

Jharkhand 63.14%

Madhya Pradesh 68.01%

Maharashtra 52.49%

Odisha 62.96%

Telangana 61.16%

Uttar Pradesh 56.35%

West Bengal 75.66%

As per latest reports by Election Commission, the voter turnout in Andhra Pradesh Assembly elections is 67.99 per cent till 5pm.

As per latest reports by Election Commission, the voter turnout in Odisha Assembly elections is 62.96 per cent till 5pm.

Congress MP and party candidate from Berhampore, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury casts his vote at a polling booth in his constituency.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to play with the self-respect and dignity of women of the state by making "false claims" about atrocities.

Addressing an election meeting at Bongaon, the TMC supremo said Modi should keep in mind that the situation of West Bengal is not like BJP-ruled states.

"Don't play with the self-respect of women, don't hatch conspiracy by playing with the dignity of our mothers and sisters," she said.

The prime minister in his public meetings on Sunday alleged that the TMC was trying to hide its past misdeeds in Sandeshkhali where TMC leaders were accused of sexual assault and land grab.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday claimed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi did not attend the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya as he feared losing his "Bhendi Bazaar" vote bank.

The mention of Bhendi Bazaar is significant given it is a Muslim-dominated area in south Mumbai.

He also asserted that despite the Congress' opposition to the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), the BJP government will introduce the common law.

Shah addressed election rallies in Dhule district in north Maharashtra and Vasai, where he accused Congress of not removing Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir because of appeasement politics.

This government will not run as per Sharia Law, Shah said while addressing a campaign rally at Vasai near Mumbai.

"Rahul Gandhi didn't visit the Ram Temple inauguration because he feared losing his vote bank, the vote bank of Bhendi Bazar," Shah said while campaigning for Hemant Savara, the BJP nominee from Palghar Lok Sabha constituency, who is pitted against Bharti Kamdi of Shiv Sena (UBT).

- PTI

Expelled JD(S) leader HD Revanna was accused of sexually assaulting several women and also involved in a kidnap case.

The Karnatak Court on Monday granted bail to Revanna in the alleged kidnap case.

BJP leader Swaran Salaria joined AAP in Punjab on Monday, days after being denied the saffron party's ticket from the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat.

Salaria last month revolted after the BJP fielded former MLA Dinesh Babbu from Gurdaspur. He was an aspirant for the party ticket from the constituency.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann welcomed Salaria into the party fold, AAP said.

The Awadh region will be carved into a separate state if the BSP comes to power at the Centre after the Lok Sabha elections, party chief Mayawati said on Monday.

Mayawati made the promise while addressing a rally for the Bahujan Samaj Party's (BSP) candidates in Lucknow, Mohanlalganj, Rae Bareli and Amethi.

Reiterating her old stance on the reorganisation of Uttar Pradesh, she said, "The people of the region have been demanding that Awadh should be carved into a separate state. When our party comes to power at the Centre, the region will be made into a separate state, which will also include Lucknow."

Union Minister and BJP candidate from Amethi Smriti Irani met locals in the constituency on Monday as part of her poll campaign.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer Mukesh Kumar Meena spoke to PTI about how the day of polling in the state went, he said, "Today we have completed our polling process, except at a few polling stations where polling is still going on because the number of voters this time seems to be on the higher side. By 10 pm, we will close the remaining polling stations also. Up to 5 pm, we had 68 per cent polling."

An approximate voter turnout of 63.23 per cent was recorded till 6pm, as per latest reports. West Bengal recorded the highest turnout of 76.25 per cent and Jammu and Kashmir recorded the lowest figure of 37 per cent today.

State-wise Voter Turnout

Andhra Pradesh: 68.20%

Bihar: 56.12%

Jammu And Kashmir: 37%

Jharkhand: 64.30%

Madhya Pradesh: 70.38%

Maharashtra: 53.06%

Odisha: 64.23%

Telangana: 61.71%

Uttar Pradesh: 58.02%

West Bengal: 76.25%

Assembly elections took place in two states in the country today - Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.

The approximate voter turnout in the assembly voting recorded as per latest reports are 68.20 per cent in Andhra Pradesh and 64.23 per cent in Odisha.