Awaz The Voice/New Delhi

World’s biggest polling exercise entered its final phase on Saturday with people casting their votes in 57 Lok Sabha constituencies across seven states and the Union Territory of Chandigarh.

In the final and seventh round of polling for the Lok Sabha, the polling is going on in the states of Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Significantly, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also seeking his re-election from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, for a hat-trick, today.

Polling is also going on simultaneously for the remaining 42 assembly constituencies of the Odisha State Legislative Assembly. More than 10.06 crore voters are exercising their franchise in the State elections.

A total of 904 candidates are in the fray for the seventh phase of the Lok Sabha elections.

Prominent candidates in the fray include Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP leaders Kangana Ranaut, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Anurag Thakur, Ravi Kishan, Nishikant Dubey, Ravneet Singh Bittu, Congress leaders Manish Tiwari, Charanjit Singh Channi, TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Misa Bharti.

The Election Commission said that polling stations are ready with all basic amenities including adequate shade, drinking water, ramps, and toilets to welcome voters to ensure that polling is held in a comfortable and safe environment.

The concerned CEOs and state machinery have been instructed to take adequate measures to manage the adverse impact of forecasted hot weather or rains wherever possible. It further said that despite hot weather conditions, voters have come in large numbers to polling stations in the previous phases.

In the last two phases, the female voter turnout percentage surpassed the male voter turnout. The Commission has called upon voters to come in large numbers to polling stations and vote with responsibility and pride.

The Indian railways have pressed into service 13 special trains and eight helicopter flights for Himachal Pradesh to ferry polling and security personnel. 2707 flying squads, 2799 static surveillance teams, 1080 surveillance teams, and 560 video viewing teams are conducting round-the-clock vigils to strictly and swiftly deal with any kind of inducement to voters.

Strict vigil is being maintained at 201 international border crossings and 906 inter-state border crossings to check any illegal flow of liquor, narcotics, cash, and gifts. Sea and air routes are under tight surveillance.

Assured minimum facilities like water, sheds, toilets, ramps, volunteers, wheelchairs, and electricity have been provided to ensure that every voter, including the elderly and disabled persons, can easily cast their vote.

The Election Commission said that polling for 28 states/union territories and 486 parliamentary constituencies was conducted smoothly and peacefully. The counting of votes will take place on June 4. The high-voltage campaign for the final phase of the Lok Sabha elections ended on Thursday.

During the long campaign for the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections, PM Modi held more than 200 campaign events in 75 days, including rallies and road shows. He also gave several interviews. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi held more than 100 rallies and public contact programs like Nyay Sammelan and Nyay Manch in the Lok Sabha elections.

According to party sources, Congress chief Kharge has held over 100 rallies and over 20 press conferences and given over 70 interviews and media interactions. The seventh phase will be a grand finale to the world's largest polling marathon that began on the 19th of last month. It has already covered 6 phases and 486 Lok Sabha seats.

Voting for the first six phases of the Lok Sabha elections was held on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20 and May 25. Assembly elections have also been held in Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh. In Odisha, Lok Sabha and Assembly elections are being held simultaneously in the last four phases.

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 PM Narendra Modi (BJP) vs Ajay Rai (Congress) in Varanasi:

PM Narendra Modi will contest against Congress leader Ajay Rai in Varanasi in the polling to be held in the final phase of the election. PM Modi won the Varanasi seat in 2014 and 2019 and is now eyeing his third term. Ajay Rai used to be a BJP leader earlier. He joined the Congress in 2012.

Kangana Ranaut (BJP) vs Vikramaditya Singh (Congress) in Mandi

BJP has fielded actress Kangana Ranaut from Mandi seat in Himachal Pradesh for the 2024 general elections. Ranaut will contest against Congress candidate Vikramaditya Singh, son of late former CM Virbhadra Singh. Mandi is a stronghold of Virbhadra's family. The seat is currently held by his widow Pratibha Devi Singh. 

Ravi Kishan (BJP) vs Kajal Nishad (Samajwadi Party) in Gorakhpur

Actor and politician Ravi Kishan is the BJP candidate from Gorakhpur seat in Uttar Pradesh. He will contest against Samajwadi Party candidate Kajal Nishad. In 2019, Kishan defeated SP candidate Rambhual Nishad with over 60 percent of the total vote share. 

Anurag Thakur (BJP) vs Satpal Singh Raizada (Congress) in Hamirpur

 Union Minister Anurag Thakur is the BJP candidate from the Hamirpur constituency in Himachal Pradesh, contesting against Congress candidate Satpal Singh Raizada. Thakur first became an MP from Hamirpur in 2008 after his father resigned. He then won three more elections from the seat in 2009, 2014 and 2019. 

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Abhishek Banerjee in Diamond Harbour (TMC)

Mamata Banerjee's nephew and Trinamool Congress candidate Abhishek Banerjee is contesting from West Bengal's Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency, which is a strategic stronghold for the TMC. He will face Pratikur Rahman of the CPI(M) and Abhijit Das of the BJP.