40.09 % voter turnout recorded in Phase 7 till 1 pm, Himachal Pradesh leads with 48.63 % turnout

New Delhi: The seventh and the final phase of polling for Lok Sabha elections on June 1 across seven states and the Union Territory of Chandigarh saw a voter turnout of 40.09 per cent till 1 pm, the Election Commission (ECI) said on Saturday.

As per the ECI, Himachal Pradesh recorded a high voter turnout at 48.63 per cent till 1 pm. Other states where polling is underway are Bihar- 35.65 per cent, Chandigarh--40.14 per cent, Jharkhand--46.80 per cent, Odisha--37.64 per cent, Punjab--37.80 per cent, Uttar Pradesh--39.31 and West Bengal--45.07 per cent.

The seventh and final phase of polling in the largest festival of democracy started on Saturday at 7 am in the last 57 parliamentary constituencies across seven states and the Union Territory of Chandigarh.

According to the Election Commission of India, over 10.06 crore electors including approximately 5.24 crore male, 4.82 crore female and 3574 third gender electors are expected to exercise their franchise.

All 13 parliamentary constituencies of Punjab are voting on Saturday in the last phase. Six assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh have also gone to polls today. The outcome will have a bearing on the Congress government in the state.

All six seats going to the polls were held by Congress and MLAs from these seats cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha polls. Polling for the remaining 42 Assembly Constituencies of the Odisha State Legislative Assembly is also underway.

After the conclusion of voting, the outcome of exit polls will be aired on various TV channels. The Election Commission has issued a ban on exit polls from 7 am on April 19 to 6:30 pm on June 1, till the conclusion of polling. The high-voltage campaigning for the final phase of Lok Sabha polls ended on Thursday.

(ANI)