Assembly Election 2024 highlights: Voter turnouts near 65% in Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh

Assembly Election 2024 LIVE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed gratitude to all the voters across the country for casting their votes in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Friday and said that it is evident that the people across India are voting for the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA in record numbers. "First phase, great response! Thank you to all those who have voted today. Getting EXCELLENT feedback from today's voting. It's clear that people across India are voting for the NDA in record numbers," posted the Prime Minister on X.

Assembly Election 2024 LIVE: Amid reports of violence from a few districts in Arunachal Pradesh, over 65 per cent of 8.92 lakh electors cast their votes till 5pm in the northeastern state where polling for two Lok Sabha seats and 50 assembly constituencies was held, EC data showed.

Assembly Election 2024 LIVE: An estimated 67.95% of the 4.64 lakh voters exercised their franchise in the peaceful polling for the 32-member assembly in Sikkim on Friday, officials reported. For the lone Lok Sabha seat, the turnout slightly exceeded 68%. This turnout was 10% lower than the 78.63% recorded in the 2019 assembly polls. Similarly, the voting percentage for the lone Lok Sabha seat was 68.06%, down from 81.41% in 2019.

Assembly Election 2024 LIVE: Arunachal Pradesh witnessed a turnout of over 64 percent among its total 8,92,694 eligible voters. Despite moderate turnout in the morning due to inclement weather, voter participation gained momentum as weather conditions improved.

Assembly Election 2024 LIVE: Former Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling participated in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections by casting his vote at a polling booth in Namchi, Sikkim, on Friday.

Assembly Election 2024 LIVE: 63.27% of registered voters turned out to vote in Arunachal Pradesh by 3pm, EC data showed. In Sikkim, the figure was 68.06%.

Assembly Election 2024 LIVE: Sikkim chief electoral officer D Anandan said that there are 573 polling stations currently active, with 88 situated in urban areas and 485 in rural areas. Additionally, Anandan mentioned that thirteen companies of CAPF have been deployed in Sikkim, comprising five companies from ITBP and eight from SSB.

Assembly Election 2024 LIVE: 53% of registered voters turned out to vote in Arunachal Pradesh by 3pm, EC data showed. In Sikkim, the figure was 52%.

Assembly Election 2024 LIVE: Sikkim chief minister Prem Singh Tamang, leading the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) in their pursuit of a second term, exercised his voting right in his hometown of Soreng district. Tamang is contesting from the Soreng-Chakung assembly constituency. Tamang is also contesting from the Rhenock assembly seat in addition to the Soreng-Chakung assembly constituency.

Assembly Election 2024 LIVE: Former India Football captain and Sikkim Democratic Front vice president Bhaichung Bhutia, contesting from the Barfung (BL) assembly seat, cast his vote in his native Sanganath village in Namchi district.

Assembly Election 2024 LIVE: By 1 pm, over 36.75% of Sikkim's 4.64 lakh voters cast their ballots for 32 Assembly seats and the lone Lok Sabha constituency, an official reported. Voting commenced at 7 am and will conclude at 5 pm. The polling stations, totaling 573, include 88 in urban and 485 in rural areas, according to Sikkim Chief Electoral Officer D Anandan.

Assembly Election 2024 LIVE: Union Earth Science minister Kiren Rijiju, chief minister Pema Khandu and deputy CM Chowna Mein were among the early voters in the northeastern state. 

Rijiju voted in his village Nafra in the newly created Bichom district, while Khandu cast his vote at the government secondary school in Bomba, where he attended school, in the Mukto constituency of Tawang district. 

Mein exercised his franchise at Chowkham. 

Governor Lt Gen (Retd) K T Parnaik and his wife Anagha Parnaik also cast their votes at polling station 1 at P Sector Government Secondary School.

Assembly Election 2024 LIVE: In Arunachal Pradesh elections are ongoing for two Lok Sabha seats and 50 assembly constituencies. The ruling BJP has secured ten seats in the 60-member assembly uncontested.

Arunachal Pradesh has recorded a voter turnout of 36.5% voter turnout till 1 pm. Similarly, a voter turnout of 36.8% has been recorded in Sikkim, data from the Election Commission shows.

Sikkim Election 2024 Live: In Sikkim, the Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) formed the government in 2019 as it won 17 of 32 seats. The Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) won 15 seats.

Arunachal Pradesh Election 2024 LIVE: The BJP retained power in Arunachal Pradesh in 2019, winning 41 of the 60 seats. The Janata Dal (United) got seven, the National People’s Party (NPP) five, Congress four, and the Peoples Party of Arunachal Pradesh one seat.

Sharing a video on X, Union minister Kiren Rijiju said that he voted at his native village Nafra in Arunachal Pradesh.

"The Lok Sabha Elections 2024   1st phase begins in 102 constituencies all across the country. Please exercise your most 'valuable voting' right for India's healthy & vibrant democracy," he says.

Arunachal Pradesh on Friday recorded 19.46% voter turnout till 11 am. Similarly, a voter turnout of 21.20% has been recorded in Sikkim, data from the Election Commission shows. 

An incident of stone pelting was reported between two political parties at Niausa village in Arunachal Pradesh's Longding district. 

A police team rushed to the spot and dispersed the crowd.  The police have also refuted rumours of shots being fired in the incident.

BJP president JP Nadda is urging voters to cast their franchise in the Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections. 

“Your every vote is going to be against corruption, against 'parivarvad' and appeasement...We know that your every vote will strengthen the villages, empower women, give wings to the aspirations of the youth and contribute to the farmers moving forward with dignity,” he tells ANI. 

He adds: “I also want to say that your vote will fulfil the resolve of a safe India, a prosperous India and a developed India and for this, it is necessary for all of you to vote and ensure your participation in this election.”

Sikkim CM Prem Singh Tamang cast his vote for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and state Assembly elections at a polling station in Gangtok, reports ANI. See the video.

Google Doodle commemorated the commencement of voting for the Lok Sabha election 2024 in India by depicting an index finger marked with ink. This symbolic representation signifies the ongoing voting process in the country as the first phase of the general election gets underway. Know more.

Nearly 8% voter turnout recorded in Sikkim till 9 am, 6.63% in Arunachal Pradesh, data from the Election Commission shows.

Arunachal Pradesh CM Pema Khandu cast his vote for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and state Assembly elections at a polling station in Tawang, reports ANI. 

With a total population of over 50 million, the eight states comprising Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Tripura, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram and Sikkim have collectively over 30 million voters eligible to vote in the upcoming general election. Excluding the 14 seats from Assam alone, the rest of the seven states together have a tally of 11 seats in the Lok Sabha. 

Out of these, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a total of 14 seats across the region in the previous polls held in 2019 that elected the 17th Lok Sabha. The Indian National Congress (INC) came out as the second largest party having secured 4 seats. However, one needs to keep in mind that many of the regional parties that shared the remaining seats between them, were part of the North-East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) formed by BJP in 2016. Read on.