Rahul Gandhi Calls for Voter Turnout, Emphasizing the Power of Each Ballot

At the onset of the first phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged all eligible voters to participate in the electoral process, highlighting the significance of each vote to “decide the future of Indian democracy and the coming generations.”

“Today is the first phase of voting! Remember, each of your votes is going to decide the future of Indian democracy and the coming generations. So come out and strengthen democracy by applying the power of your vote to the wounds inflicted on the soul of the nation in the last 10 years. Defeat hatred and open the ‘Muhobbat ki Dukan’ in every corner,” Rahul Gandhi posted on X.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a special appeal to young and first-time voters, urging them to participate in large numbers, highlighting the significance of each vote and the importance of every voice.

“The 2024 election commences today! As 102 seats across 21 states and UTs go to the polls, I urge all those voting in these seats to exercise their franchise in record numbers. I particularly call upon the young and first-time voters to vote in large numbers. After all, every vote counts and every voice matters!” the PM said in a post on X.

The world’s largest democratic event began in the country today, marking the start of a marathon process spread across seven phases to elect 543 members of the 18th Lok Sabha.

The upcoming election, scheduled from April 19 to June 1, is poised to become the second-longest polling exercise in the country’s electoral history, following the first general election, which lasted over five months from September 1951 to February 1952. The previous general elections in 2019 were also conducted in seven phases.

Today, a total of 102 constituencies spanning 21 states and Union Territories will participate in the first phase of voting. Vote counting is scheduled for June 4.

In the first phase, voters from constituencies in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry will participate in the election.

In Bihar, West Bengal, and Uttar Pradesh, voting will occur in all seven phases, with the first phase scheduled for April 19.

On April 19, single-phase polling is scheduled to take place in Tamil Nadu, Sikkim, Nagaland, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Additionally, voters in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim will also participate in their respective assembly elections today, as announced by the Chief Election Commissioner on March 16.

Out of the total 96.8 crore registered voters, 49.72 crore are men, while 47.1 crore are women.