People of 96 constituencies to polling booths; Fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections begins

NEW DELHI: Fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections has commenced, with voting taking place in a total of 96 constituencies across nine states and Jammu and Kashmir. Telangana and Andhra Pradesh will have single-phase elections. Voting is underway for 13 seats in Uttar Pradesh and eight seats in West Bengal.

Prominent figures seeking votes today include Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chaudhary, cricketer and Trinamool Congress candidate Yusuf Pathan, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi, Union Ministers Arjun Munda and Giriraj Singh, actor and Trinamool Congress leader Shatrughan Sinha and Congress Andhra Pradesh Unit President Y S Sharmila, among others.

Voting has been conducted in 16 states and four Union Territories across three phases. In Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal, where polling takes place in all phases, one-third of the seats are yet to go to the polls. Polling will occur in Haryana, Punjab, Delhi and Himachal Pradesh in the last two phases.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a roadshow in Varanasi this evening before filing his nomination papers tomorrow. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and senior BJP leaders will participate in the roadshow alongside the Prime Minister. BJP has launched an extensive campaign in Varanasi. Narendra Modi will submit his nomination papers at 11 am tomorrow.