India Lok Sabha election 2024 Phase 7: Who votes and what’s at stake?

Voters will decide the fate of 904 candidates from across 57 seats in the last phase of the Lok Sabha polls on June 1.

Indians will cast ballots in the last phase of the country’s staggered elections on June 1 to decide the fate of 904 candidates, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, concluding the largest electoral exercise in the world that kicked off on April 19.

Fifty-seven seats across eight states and federally-run territories (union territories) are up for grabs as voters will elect Members of Parliament (MPs) to the 18th Lok Sabha – the lower House of Parliament.

Voters have braved soaring temperatures to cast their ballots, with the first six phases – April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20 and May 25 – recording turnouts of 66.1, 66.7, 61.0, 67.3, 60.5 and 63.4 percent, respectively. At least 969 million people are registered to vote.

Will voters back the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), which has centred its campaign on “saving the constitution” from what it alleges are attempts by Modi’s government to undermine fundamental tenets of Indian democracy – from freedom of the press to the rights of religious minorities – and on more equitable  development in Asia’s third-largest economy? 

Or will they repose faith in Modi’s leadership and the continuing rule of the governing National Democratic Alliance (NDA), at a time when the prime minister’s personal popularity remains high?

After Saturday’s vote, the wait won’t be long: All votes will be counted on June 4, when results will be declared.

Registered voters in the following seven states and one union territory will cast their ballots for 57 seats:

Punjab: All 13 of the northwestern state’s seats

Himachal Pradesh: Al