Certainly! Here’s a detailed overview of the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections in India:
– Date: The fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 is scheduled for May 13.
– Seats: This phase will cover 96 seats across 10 states and union territories.
– States and Union Territories Voting in Phase 4:
– Andhra Pradesh: All 25 seats.
– Telangana: 17 constituencies.
– Uttar Pradesh: 13 seats.
– Maharashtra: 11 seats.
– West Bengal: 8 seats.
– Madhya Pradesh: 8 seats.
– Bihar: 5 seats.
– Jharkhand: 5 seats.
– Odisha: 4 seats.
– Jammu and Kashmir: 1 seat.
Key Candidates:
– In Baharampur, West Bengal, there’s a heated contest among the Congress, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Former Indian cricketer Yusuf Pathan is taking on Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury (the West Bengal Congress president) and BJP’s candidate, Nirmal Kumar Saha. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury currently represents Baharampur in the Lok Sabha.
– Other key candidates include Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM), TMC’s Mahua Moitra, and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.
– Dry Day: Ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase 4 on May 13, a Dry Day has been announced in parts of states going for polling during this fourth phase of the general elections³.
Detailed Summary:
– Voter Turnout:
– The third phase of the 18th Lok Sabha elections concluded, covering 93 constituencies across 12 states and union territories.
– The voter turnout touched 64.4%, according to data from the Election Commission. This turnout is slightly lower compared to the 2019 elections when these constituencies saw a turnout of 67.33%⁴.
– Across 11 states and union territories, a total of **1,300 candidates**, including 120 women, contested in this crucial phase, reflecting the diversity of India’s democratic process⁵.
Key Events:
– Prime Minister Narendra Modi cast his vote in the Gandhinagar constituency, where his number two, Home Minister Amit Shah, is the BJP candidate.
– Congress party’s former President Sonia Gandhi accused Modi and the BJP of promoting “hatred for political gain,” emphasizing that their focus is “only on gaining power at any cost.”
– Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav expressed hope that India’s election body would take action against complaints of booth capturing by BJP workers.
– An Indian court extended the pre-trial detention of opposition leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal until May 20.
Income Inequality:
– Researchers warn that the gap between rich and poor in India has widened significantly.
– India’s income and wealth inequality are among the highest globally, worse than in Brazil, South Africa, and the United States.
– A study by the World Inequality Lab reveals that income inequality in India is worse than it was under British colonial rule.