Phase 7 turnout is 59.15%

An approximate voter turnout of 59.15 per cent was recorded on Saturday in the seventh and final phase of the Lok Sabha polls with incidents of violence between TMC and BJP supported in porters Sandeshkhali region of West Bengal, and complaints of EVM glitches and rigging at some booths being lodged.

Polling was conducted in seven states and the Union Territory of Chandigarh for 57 constituencies, including Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking a third consecutive term in the Lok Sabha.

Voting was held amid a severe heatwave in all 13 seats of Punjab and four of Himachal Pradesh, 13 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, nine in West Bengal, eight in Bihar, six in Odisha and three in Jharkhand, besides Chandigarh. Polling for the remaining 42 assembly constituencies in Odisha and bypolls to six assembly seats in Himachal Pradesh also took place simultaneously.

Saturday's voting marked the end of the marathon polling process that began on April 19.

The assemblies of Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim also went to polls.

With the focus now on June 4, the counting for the assembly polls in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim will be held on June 2.