Assembly elections live updates: TDP claims its leader killed in attack by YSR Congress workers

TDP says its leader Siddha Bhaskar Reddy killed in violence by YSR Congress leaders in Tadipatri, Ananthapur district of Andhra Pradesh.

The party alleged that YSR Congress leaders attempted attack on TDP Candidate and Assembly Speaker Shri Kodela Sivaprasad in Sattenapalli, Guntur district.

#WATCH: Clash broke out between YSRCP and TDP workers in Puthalapattu Constituency in Bandarlapalli, Andhra Pradesh. Police resorted to lathi-charge pic.twitter.com/q7vxRIR0R8

— ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2019

Andhra Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in letter to CEC: Likely that many voters who returned may not come back for voting even if polling is resumed after replacement/repair of existing EVMs.Therefore repolling needed in all polling stations where polling had not commenced upto 9.30am 

Clashes between TDP, YSRC workers; Jana Sena candidate smashes EVM after glitch. Read full story here

#Janasena MLA candidate #MadhusudhanGupta has been detained for damaging EVM machine.

Read here- https://t.co/VkCZkxUN8S pic.twitter.com/6AhmoGuO1M

— DNA (@dna) April 11, 2019

Jammu & Kashmir: Visuals from polling booth number 97 in Bandipora, where voting is underway for #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/00cvqN9PfN

— ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2019

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and his family after casting their vote for #LokSabhaElections2019 in Amravati. pic.twitter.com/QzlYYfNzjd

— ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2019

YSR Congress Party Chief Jagan Mohan Reddy after casting his votes in Kadapa: I'm very confident, people are looking for a change, vote without fear. #AndhraPradeshElection2019 #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/jitKKO8VWK

— ANI (@ANI) April 11, 2019

The stage is set for over 60 lakh voters in Odisha, including more than 30 lakh women, to exercise their franchise in the first phase of polls for four Lok Sabha and 28 assembly seats on Thursday.

Women outnumber men in these constituencies as they form 30,30,222 of an estimated 60,03,707 electorate, while 29,72,925 are male. As many as 560 voters belong to the third gender for the first of the four-phase polls.

Around 47,805 polling personnel are being deployed to conduct the first phase of the polls. Special arrangements have been made in 2,375 critical and sensitive polling booths, while satellite phones provided in 810 booths, where there are no mobile or internet facilities. 

Paramilitary forces, police, flying squads, static surveillance teams, poll observers, videography teams and excise sleuths will be deployed in the constituencies.

The first phase of polls will decide the fate of a total of 217 candidates. There are 26 hopefuls in fray, including two women, in four Lok Sabha constituencies, and 191 candidates, 16 of them women, in 28 assembly seats.

Lok Sabha and assembly elections are being held simultaneously in Odisha in four phases on April 11, 18, 23 and 29. Counting of votes will be held on May 23. There are 21 Lok Sabha and 147 assembly seats in the state.

Necessary arrangements, including adequate deployment of security personnel in insurgency-hit districts, have been made for the smooth conduct of elections in two Lok Sabha seats and 57 assembly constituencies in Arunachal Pradesh on Thursday.

A total of 181 candidates, including 11 women, are vying for 57 out of the total 60 assembly seats in the state.

A total of 7,94,162 voters, including 4,01,601 women, are eligible to exercise their franchise in 2,202 polling stations spread across the state.

There are also 3,000 odd physically challenged voters in the state.

"Polling parties, along with consignments for 518 remote and inaccessible booths out of the total 2,002 polling stations in the state, have already reached their destinations," Additional Chief Electoral Officer Kangki Darang said.

Deputy Chief Electoral officer Liken Koyu said 13,262 polling personnel have been engaged for 2,202 polling booths, including 518 polling stations which had to be reached on foot.

On the security arrangements for the polls, Inspector General of Police Sunil Garg said, "We have deployed 45 companies of Central Armed Paramilitary Forces (CAPF) comprising ITBP, CRPF, IRBn, along with over 7,000 state civil police personnel."

The ruling BJP had already opened its account in the assembly polls by winning three seats unopposed.

The winners are Kento Jini from Along East constituency in West Siang district, Taba Tedir from Yachuli seat in Lower Subansiri district and Phurpa Tsering from Dirang seat in West Kameng district.

In Andhra Pradesh, As many as 2,118 and 319 candidates are in the fray for 175 Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats respectively.

This is the first general election in the state after bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and creation of Telangana in June 2014.

There are a total of 3,93,45,717 registered voters, including 1,94,62,339 male, 1,98,79,421 female and 3957 transgenders.

Of the total, 10.15 lakh are first-time voters in the 18-19 age group.

The state has 56,908 service voters while 5323 NRIs from the state are also registered as voters. In 2014, 77.96 per cent polling was recorded in 13 districts and Election Commission authorities expect the percentage to go beyond 80 per cent this time.

Of the total 46,120 polling stations, 8514 have been classified as critical and 520 as Left-wing Extremism-affected.

197 companies of Central Armed Police Force have been deployed across the state in addition to 51,525 state police personnel, 60 companies of AP Special Police, 4500 Karnataka and 736 Odisha police for security. The total number of security personnel deployed is 1.20 lakh.

An electorate of over 4 lakh would exercise their franchise on Thursday to elect a new 32-member Sikkim Legislative Assembly as well as its only Lok Sabha member. 

All arrangements have been made to conduct simultaneous polls in a free and fair manner on 32 Assembly seats as well as the lone Lok Sabha as per the guidelines of the Election Commission of India, Sikkim's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Ravindra Telang told PTI.

There are 150 candidates in fray on 32 Assembly seats, while 11 candidates are contesting for the lone Lok Sabha seat.

Prominent candidates include Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kimar Chamling, who is seeking a record eighth successive term as an MLA. He is contesting from two Assembly seats - Poklok-Kamrang and Namchi-Singhithang.

Former footballer Bhaichung Bhutia, who is the working president of the Hamro Sikkim party (HSP) has entered into fray from two assembly seats as well, including Gangtok, reserved seat for the indigenous Bhutia-Lepcha communities.

As many as 3,600 polling personnel and 4,000 security men, including 10 companies of SSB, have been deployed for election duty in Sikkim.

A total of 4,32,306 voters comprising 2,20,305 male and 2,12,001 female will exercise their franchise. There are 30,480 are first-time voters, while 2042 voters have been registered as the People with Disabilities (PWD).