Delhi: The first phase of Lok Sabha elections will be held today. Polling will be held in 102 constituencies in 17 states and four Union Territories in the first phase. Out of the 102 constituencies going to polls, 42 are held by the BJP. Elections will be held today in a total of 39 seats in Tamil Nadu, while voting will be held in each seat in Puducherry and Lakshadweep today. In the first phase, voting will be held for 12 seats in Rajasthan, eight seats in Uttar Pradesh, five in Assam and Uttarakhand, four in Bihar, six in Madhya Pradesh, three in West Bengal and two in Manipur.
Polling is also underway in Bastar, which has a strong Maoist presence in Chhattisgarh. The polling starts at 7 am and ends at 6 pm. Helicopters, special trains, around 100,000 vehicles and security personnel have been deployed. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari Sarbananda Sonawal, Jitin Ram Manjhi, Jitin Prasada, Nakulnath, Kanimozhi and Annamale will also seek popular vote today. Apart from the Lok Sabha elections, polling will also be held today for the state assemblies of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.
