Lok Sabha election phase 1 Live: High voter turnout in Phase 1

1.15 incidents of EVM damage

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Election Commission: Voters in great number fearlessly used their franchise in Shyamgiri (in Bastar's Dantewada district) polling station. Turnout was 77% in this polling station. #Chhattisgarh #IndiaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/w3UIcvG2Re

— ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2019

Election Commission: There have been some incidents where EVMs have been damaged. 6 incidents in Andhra Pradesh, 5 in Arunachal Pradesh, 1 in Bihar, 2 in Manipur and 1 in West Bengal. #IndiaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/g5zUArCDZd

— ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2019

2.BSP writes to EC

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BSP writes to EC: "We are receiving info from various polling stations that BSP voters specially Dalits are being stopped from reaching polling booths by use of force by UP police. All this is apparently being done on diktat of higher-ups. Immediate intervention is required."

Satish Chandra Mishra, BSP: In Uttar Pradesh today, the police & administration stopped members of Dalit community from casting votes. We've registered complaint with Election Commission regarding this & requested immediate action. We've told EC that higher-ups had a hand in this pic.twitter.com/nVcMG7C1Cm

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 11, 2019

SC Mishra, BSP: We've registered another complaint with Election Commission & have sent them a video clip of EVM, in which it is seen that 'elephant' symbol is being pressed but vote is going to BJP's 'lotus' symbol. Our people had complained against it but no action was taken https://t.co/hURcLhKCWK

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 11, 2019

3.EC replies Omar's allegation

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Omar Abdullah had alleged that Congress button in EVMs not working in Pooch

Congress symbol button not working in Poonch polling stations ||Mangnar ... https://t.co/g9f6q4Phw4 via @YouTube

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) April 11, 2019

EC has replied saying: 

Poonch (J&K) District Election Officer on Omar Abdullah's tweet 'Congress button not working in Poonch polling stations': There was an issue with Congress button in Shahpur, our staff replaced the machine. At another polling station BJP button wasn't working, we changed that also pic.twitter.com/nQqNPdlTcV

— ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2019

4.Union Minister Balityan's complaint

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Speaking to ANI, Union Minister and Muzaffarnagar BJP candidate Sanjiv Baliyan said, "Faces of women in burkhas are not being checked and I allege that fake voting is being done. If not looked into, I will demand a repoll"

5.PM Modi and Rahul Gandhi's vote plea

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PM Modi tweeted: 

2019 Lok Sabha elections commence today.

I call upon all those whose constituencies are voting in the first phase today to turn out in record numbers and exercise their franchise.

I specially urge young and first-time voters to vote in large numbers.

— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 11, 2019

Rahul Gandhi's message: You vote today for the soul of India. For her future. Vote wisely.

 

6.Naidu complaints to EC about EVM glitches

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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has written a letter to the Election Commission of India (ECI), requesting an extension of polling time in the state to compensate for the time lost due to reported technical glitches in EVMs in several polling booths.
Polling in a few districts of Andhra Pradesh was disrupted briefly on Thursday morning due to malfunctioning of electronic voting machines (EVM).
Naidu wrote in his letter: "A number of complaints are being received from the contesting candidates, chief election agents and the media that in several cases EVMs did not function to start the polling at 7 am. As a result commencement of polling got delayed between half an hour to one hour. However, polling has commenced in those stations after repair/replacement of EVMs. In all these cases it is necessary that polling time is extended to compensate the time lost in repairing/replacing the EVMs."

7.Voting going on across the country amidst high security

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Bastar in Chhattisgarh and two seats in Jammu and Kashmir, Baramulla and Jammu are polling today. Security is in high alert particularly after Tuesday's attack in which BJP MLA from Dantewada in Bastar was killed. 

Four naxals in possession of country guns have been arrested from Bijapur, Chhattisgarh by securitymen. 

Already there are reports of IED blast in Narayanpur. No one has been injured in the blast. 

According to ANI, a joint party of security forces came under naxal amush near a polling booth in Farasgaon, Narayanpur. But security forces managed to escape and there is signs of no casualty. 

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8.Tight competition predicted

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Most opinion polls have predicted NDA returning to power, but the race has considerably tightened compared to last election. 

9.Voter turnout at 3PM

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10.Family members of BJP MLA cast their vote

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Chhattisgarh: Family members of BJP MLA Bheema Mandvi after casting their vote in Dantewada, earlier today. Bheema Mandvi had lost his life in a naxal attack in Dantewada on 9th April. #IndiaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/fvD7xsfBD1

— ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2019