#Elections2019 Live: Phase 1 begins in 91 seats across 18 states and 2 UTs

Phase 1 of the general elections kicked off today. Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Uttarakhand, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Lakshadweep, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Telangana are voting today in a single phase. Parts of Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Manipur, Odisha, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal will vote today.

Voting for Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Odisha will also take place. There are 1,279 candidates standing in Phase 1.

6.35 pm

Sanbor Shullai, the BJP candidate from Shillong, said he would rather “kill himself than allow” the enactment of the Citizenship Bill. He said: “The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill will not be implemented as long as Sanbor Shullai is alive. I will kill myself. I will commit suicide than to allow the Bill to be implemented in Meghalaya and Northeast.”

6.30 pm

Here;s the voter turnout percentages at 5 pm.

Chandrababu Naidu said the Election Commission “failed” in maintaining EVMs and VVPATs, saying he feels very “disappointed”.

5.52 pm

BSP leader Satish Chandra Mishra says he’s complained to the EC and sent them a video clip of an EVM that registers a vote for lotus even when a vote for elephant is made. Mishra also said the police and administration in Uttar Pradesh were “stopping members of the Dalit community from casting votes”.

Here’s the voter turnout so far at 5 pm: 60.57 per cent in Telangana, 59.77 per cent in Uttar Pradesh, 62 per cent in Meghalaya.

5.15 pm

The BJP has alleged “issues” including violence at 700 polling booths in West Bengal and has filed a complaint with the EC. Firstpost reports: “They allege that violence is reported from those constituencies which are under state police. BJP state vice president Jayprakash Majumdar has demanded repolling.”

Republic reports that firing broke out for 10 minutes when a group of Maoists targeted policemen in Narayanpur in Bastar, Chhattisgarh. The TV channel said the polling party was returning from the booth when it was attacked. Firstpost confirmed with Inspector General Vivekananda, Chhattisgarh Police (Bastar range) Vivekananda that one Naxal was killed.

5 pm

The Biju Janata Dal has written to the chief election officer of Bhubaneswar to complain about a press meet by BJP leader Samir Mohanty which was broadcast on OTV. It asked for strict action to be taken against Mohanty, the BJP and OTV.

In Raiganj, BJP chief Amit Shah called illegant immigrants “termites”. Addressing a rally, he said: “They are eating the grain that should go to the poor, they are taking our jobs. The T of TMC stands for Tushtikaran, (appeasement), M for Mafia and C for Chitfunds.” Shah said such “termites” would be thrown out if the BJP returns to power.

4.30 pm

Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu has demanded repolling in 150 polling booths due to non-functioning EVMs. Naidu wrote a letter which said: “I demand conduct of repoll in all the above polling stations and such other polling stations where the polling has not commenced even at 9.30 a.m. due to the failure of EVMs.”

The EC meanwhile responded to BJP’s Muzaffarnagar candidate Sanjeev Balyan who this morning said “fake votes” were being cast by “unverified” people wearing burqas. Brahmdeo Ram Tiwari, the additional chief election officer, said: “If a woman is in a veil, there are women officials who verify their identity, and only then they are allowed to vote.”

4.05 pm

Responding to the Congress’s claim that it sent Rajnath Singh a letter alleging breach of Rahul Gandhi’s security in Amethi, the home ministry said it hasn’t received the letter. In a statement, the ministry said: “However, as soon as MHA’s attention was drawn to reports that there was an incident of ‘green light’ being pointed at him yesterday in Amethi, the Director (SPG) was asked to verify the factual position. Director (SPG) has informed MHA that they have gone through the Video Clipping of the incident very closely. The ‘green light’ shown in the clipping was found to be that of a mobile phone used by AICC photographer, who was videographing the press interaction.”

3.55 pm

ANI reports that the BSP has written to the EC saying: “We are receiving info from various polling stations that BSP voters specially Dalits are being stopped from reaching polling booths by use of force by UP police. All this is apparently being done on diktat of higher-ups. Immediate intervention is required.”

3.45 pm

Here are some of the voter turnout percentages as of 3 pm: 46.59 per cent in Uttarkhand, 68.90 per cent in Manipur, 51.25 per cent in Lakshadweep, 68 per cent in Nagaland, 48.95 per cent in Telangana, 59.5 per cent in Assam, and 50.86 per cent in Uttar Pradesh.

In Lauti Menk village in Uttar Pradesh, a Dalit women voting at Booth No. 389 claimed she asked a staff member for help in finding the BSP symbol on the EVM. However, she alleged that the staff member “misled” her and pressed the BJP symbol instead.

3.40 pm

The Nagaland Congress claimed that the state’s deputy chief minister Y Patton voted “an unprecedented eight times”.

3.30 pm

The EC received 462 complaints after just two hours of polling in Alipurduar and Cooch Behar in West Bengal. News18 confirmed the news with Additional Chief Electoral Officer, Sanjay Basu, who said the nature of the complaints included “allegations of clashes, EVM malfunctioning, lack of basic amenities and deployment of forces”.

3.10 pm

BJP chief Amit Shah is addressing an event in Darjeeling where he emphasised that the BJP would ensure the implementation of the NRC. He said: “We will remove every single infiltrator from the country, except Buddha, Hindus and Sikhs.”

2.58 pm

Former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi says Modi’s visit to the state for campaigning on a polling day is a violation of the Model Code of Conduct. He said: “Modi could have campaigned tomorrow since no polling is scheduled for the day. Soliciting votes in the name of the martyrs of the Assam Agitation is also an indirect violation of the MCC. The martyrs are ours and not of the BJP.” Gogoi was addressing reporters after casting his vote at DCB Girls High School polling booth in Jorhat, Assam.

Meanwhile, Modi himself, who’s addressing a rally in Mangaldai, Assam, said: “Can there by any compromise when it comes to national security and dealing with terrorist outfits? But unfortunately, opposition wants to weaken the nation’s security. Our armed forces displayed their might but the Congress is seeking proofs.”

2.40 pm

Here’s the overall state-wise voter turnout at 1 pm as consolidated by the Press Information Bureau.

And in some heart-warming news, here’s a creche and waiting room with plastic-free drinking water in Nagaland’s Zunheboto polling station.

2.30 pm

At a polling station in Shamli, Uttar Pradesh, security personnel reportedly fired in the air after people without voter IDs tried to cast their votes. News18 reports that the police also “lathi-charged” the fake voters.

In Maharashtra, the state Congress sent the EC 39 complaints about EVM “glitches” in the state. In a statement, the Congress said it made 12 complaints on Nagpur EVMs by email, eight from Chandrapur, six from Wardha and five from Ramtek. Hindustan Times reports: “The party also sent four complaints each of such snags in Yavatmal-Washim and Gadchiroli-Chimur seats.”

2.10 pm

Addressing the media after his mother Sonia Gandhi filed her nomination in Raebareli, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said: “There have been many people in Indian history who had the arrogance to believe that they are invincible, that they are bigger than the people of India. There is nothing bigger than the people of India. Mr Narendra Modi for the past five years has done nothing for the people of India. His invincibility will be on full view after the election results.” He also challenged Modi to an “open debate” on corruption, saying that the day that happens, “that will be the day Narendra Modi will not be able to look into the eyes of people of India”.

Sonia Gandhi told the media to “remember 2004”. “Vajpayeeji was invincible, but we won.”

By 1 pm, the voter turnout in Odisha stands at 42 per cent.

1.55 pm

The names of the family members of Mohammed Akhlaq, who was lynched in 2015 on suspicion of possessing beef, are missing from the voter list in Gautam Budh Nagar. India Today reports: “According to a block level officer in Gautam Buddh Nagar, the family has not been living in the Bisada village for several months now.”

Regarding the distribution of “NAMO” food packets, the additional chief election officer, BR Tiwari, said it was from a 10-year-old shop called Namo, and the media had highlighted it in a “different manner”.

1.40 pm

Kodela Sivaprasad Rao, the Andhra Pradesh Assembly speaker and a TDP candidate from Narsaraopet, Guntur, reportedly “stormed into a polling booth at Inimetla village” and then locked himself in. Hindustan Times reports the police forcefully removed him from the booth and took him away. Other reports claim he fell sick after an “alleged attack”.

ANI reports that a TDP leader named S Bhaskar Reddy was killed in clashes in Tadipatri town of Anantapur. The TDP alleges that YSR Congress workers were behind the attack.

1.30 pm

Till 1 pm, the voter turnout in Uttarakhand was 41.27 per cent. In Bihar, it’s 33.5 per cent, 57 per cent in Nagaland, 53.44 per cent in Manipuar, 38.8 per cent in Telangana, and 38.78 per cent in Uttar Pradesh.

In Andhra Pradesh’s Kurnool district, Firstpost reports that TDP councillor Shivashankar Yadav was seen “distributing currency notes among voters at Nandamurinagar polling station”. In Cooch Behar in West Bengal, BJP workers were allegedly attacked by Trinamool Congress workers, leaving three BJP workers “critically wounded”, Firstpost reports.

In other election news, Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Jairam Ramesh and Randeep Singh Surjewala wrote to Home Minister Rajnath Singh alleging a security breach when party president Rahul Gandhi was in Amethi this week to file his nomination. The letter said “a laser (green) was pointed at his head, intermittently on at least seven separate occasions in a short period; including twice at his temple on the right side of the head”. They said it was “a cause of grave and pressing concern”, citing the assassinations of Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi.

1.10 pm

The Uttar Pradesh police has responded to photos being circulated of policemen distributing food packets with “NAMO” written on them in Noida, The Hindu reports. In an official statement, the Gautam Budh Nagar SSP Vaibhav Krishna said: There is some misinformation being spread that some policemen have been distributed food from a political party. This is absolutely wrong. At local level some food packets were procured from Namo Food Shop and not from any political Party. Some people are spreading wrong and politically motivated rumours. And there is no official order to procure food from any particular food outlet.”

1 pm

In more clashes in Anantpur, Hindustan Times reports that a TDP worker named Siddha Bhaskar Reddy was killed in a clash between TDP and YSR Congress workers in at Meerapuram village, Anantpur district. Earlier, there were reports that another TDP worker had been hacked to death in Veerapuram, Anantpur.

12.55 pm

General VK Singh, the BJP candidate from Ghaziabad, spoke to reporters after casting his vote and brought up the construction of the Ram Temple, one of the BJP’s promises in its manifesto. He said: “Ramlala had surfaced (in Babri mosque) when he decided to. So his temple will be built when he wishes to have a temple.” Referring to the SP-BSP alliance, he said: “What to say about those who have contrasting ideologies and were enemies once. They have come together due to helplessness.”

12.48 pm

In Jammu & Kashmir, former CM Mehbooba Mufti has claimed a voter was “manhandled” by the BSF “because he refused to cast his vote for BJP”.

12.43 pm

EVM glitches have been reported from Booth No. 127 (Gadchiroli-Chimur constituency) and Booth No. 147 (Yavatmal-Washim) in Maharashtra. A state Congress spokesperson told Hindustan Times: “There are massive queues outside these polling stations. Since past one hour, barely four people have cast their votes. We have complained to the local Election Commission officials to make alternative EVMs available immediately.”

Yet another havan is underway, this one in Raebareli where Sonia Gandhi will file her nomination.

12.35 pm

A Telugu Desam Party worker was hacked to death near Polling Booth No.197 at Veerapuram in Tadipatri constituency of Anantapur district. The worker was identified as Chinta Bhaskar Reddy, The Hindu reports. This comes soon after reports that YSR Congress activists clashed with TDP workers in the state.

12.25 pm

The Nizamabad Lok Sabha constituency in Telangana may make it the Guinness World Records for the maximum number of EVMs used. Hindustan Times reports there are 185 candidates in the fray, and the EC is using 12 EVMs in each polling station.

In Gadchiroli in Maharashtra, an IED blast was triggered by Naxals near a polling booth in Etapalli. No casualties or injuries have been reported. Read our detailed report on what voters in Gadchiroli want.

12.15 pm

Journalist Rohini Mohan tweeted that the indelible ink used in India’s elections since 1962 is “coming off in one wash”.

Meanwhile, the DC of Poonch responded to Omar Abdullah’s claim that the Congress button wasn’t working in polling booths, saying the BJP button hadn’t worked as well in some stations. While not quite a relief to those trying to vote, he also told India Today the glitch has been rectified.

12.10 pm

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal tweeted that reports have come in “from all across India that votes have been deleted on unprecedented scale”.

He also asked why faulty EVMs “seem to always vote for the BJP”.

11.55 am

Former CM of Jammu & Kashmir Omar Abdullah has alleged the Congress symbol button “is not working” in Poonch polling stations.

Here are live visuals from Newslaundry‘s Raman Kirpal of a polling station in GB Nagar, Noida.

11.46 am

Nagaland has seen 41 per cent voter turnout till 11 am. The figures at 38.08 per cent in West Bengal, over 24 per cent in Uttar Pradesh, 35.03 per cent in Manipur, 27 per cent in Meghalaya, 27.48 per cent in Arunachal Pradesh, 14.37 per cent in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, 22.84 per cent in Telangana, 23.78 per cent in Uttarakhand, 24.66 per cent in Jammu & Kashmir, and 29.8 per cent in Mizoram. Till 11 am, 24.32 per cent voter turnout was recorded in eight parliamentary constituencies.

India Today reports that the Election Commission has pulled up BJP’s Sanjeev Balyan for his comments in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, on “fake voting” by “people wearing burkhas”. He said: “What if one person votes five times? Anyone wearing a burkha can vote five times.” Muzaffarnagar has 5 lakh Muslim voters. The EC says he needs to “submit proof” of his statements.

11.30 am

Over in Amethi, a lavish havan is in progress where Smriti Irani is performing a puja before filing her nomination from Amethi. She’s with her husband though you can’t see him very well through the clouds of smoke.

11.25 am

Newslaundry‘s Ayush Tiwari is talking to voters in Ghaziabad. See what they have to say.

Meanwhile in Vemavaram village in Ballikuruva mandal in Prakasam district, two polling agents were arrested for allegedly offering money to voters, The Hindu reports.

11.11 am

News18 reports that food packets meant for polling booth officials in Noida have the word “NAMO” stamped on them. The district magistrate allegedly said it wasn’t “a big issue”.

On NDTV, senior journalist Sagarika Ghose asks if the Election Commission should be called the “Election Omission” based on the visuals of the MLA smashing an EVM in a polling booth. Anchor Ankita Mukherji tells her the Election Commission has been taking some steps, such as blocking the release of political biopics.

11.07 am

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu claims “30 per cent of EVMs were not functioning till 10 am” in the state, Hindustan Times reports. “He has demanded re-polling in the polling stations, where EVMs did not function. He alleged that in some polling stations, voting for TDP is being recorded as voting for YSRC.”

11 am

The BJP candidate from Muzaffarnagar, Union minister Sanjeev Balyan, has demanded a repoll, alleging “fake voting” by people wearing burkhas whose “faces are not being checked”.

By 9 am, Bihar has seen 7.58 per cent voter turnout. The voter turnout in West Bengal at 9 am was 18.12 per cent, 17.5 per cent in Mizoram, 10.2 per cent in Chhattisgarh, 14 per cent in Jammu & Kashmir and 15.6 per cent in Manipur.

10.50 am

Tensions levels have already spiked on television sets. On India Today, Congress spokesperson Shama Mohamed calls Varanasi “India’s dirtiest city”. RSS ideologue and advocate Raghav Awasthi promptly blows up at her, saying he won’t tolerate this hatred as Varanasi is one of the most important Hindu cities. Rajdeep Sardesai attempts to play peacemaker, saying some parts of Varanasi are clean and some are not and the “truth lies somewhere in between”.

10.40 am

A Jana Sena MLA, Madhusudhan Gupta, has been arrested after he smashed an EVM at a polling booth in Gooty, Anantpur. Gupta was reportedly “angry with the polling staff over names of Assembly and Parliament constituencies not being displayed properly”, IANS reports.

There have been reports of EVM glitches in a few polling booths in Lakhimpur and Kaliabor in Assam, The Hindu reports. Andhra Pradesh State Chief Electoral Officer Gopal Krishna Dwivedi also said there were complaints about EVM glitches in at least 50 places, Hindustan Times reports.

10.30 am

Till 9 am, the voter turnout has been 13.3 per cent in Arunachal Pradesh, 10.6 per cent in Telangana, 5.83 per cent in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, 10.2 per cent in Assam, and 13.3 per cent in Arunachal Pradesh, India Today reports.

The Hindu reports that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and general secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi were among the first to vote in Nagpur, turning up at a polling booth at Bhauji Daftari School in Mahal area at about 6.50 am. Bhagwat said: “Voting is necessary and a sacred responsibility of all. Vote for national security, development and identity.” Nitin Gadkari and Congress’s Nana Patole are key contenders for the seat.

10 am

PM Narendra Modi urged voters, particularly first-time voters, to participate.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi told people they’re voting for “the soul of India”.