As per reports, on Friday (19 April), more than 95 lakh voters will be eligible to cast their votes in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra. This phase encompasses five constituencies, including some areas affected by the Naxal insurgency.

• Campaigning concluded on Wednesday evening (17 April), and voters will cast their ballots in Nagpur, Ramtek, Bhandara-Gondia, Chandrapur, and Gadchiroli-Chimur, all located in the eastern-most parts of the state.
• In Nagpur, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari of the Bharatiya Janata Party faces Indian National Congress (INC) candidate Vikas Thakre. The constituency has 22,18,259 eligible voters (11,10,840 male, 11,07,197 female, and 222 transgender).
• In Chandrapur, BJP candidate and Maharashtra minister Sudhir Mungantiwar will compete against INC nominee Pratibha Dhanorkar, the only Congress MP elected to the Lok Sabha from Maharashtra in 2019. Chandrapur has 18,36,314 voters (9,45,026 male, 8,91,240 female).
• Bhandara-Gondia will see BJP incumbent Sunil Mendhe take on INC candidate Dr. Prashant Patole. The constituency has 18,75,106 voters (9,36,041 male, 9,39,056 female, and 12 transgender).
• In Gadchiroli-Chimur, BJP’s two-time MP Ashok Nete faces Congress nominee Dr. Namdev Kirsan. This constituency has 16,12,930 voters (8,11,836 male, 8,01,082 female, and 12 transgender).
• Finally, in Ramtek, the contest is between INC’s Shyamkumar Barwe and Shiv Sena’s candidate Raju Parwe, who is backed by Eknath Shinde. The constituency boasts 20,45,717 voters (10,43,266 male, 10,02,396 female, and 55 transgender).
• The state electoral office mentioned that five assembly segments, spread across two Lok Sabha seats, will vote from 0700 hours to 1500 hours, unlike other areas where voting continues until 1800 hours. This adjustment is due to most voting booths in these segments being in remote locations known for Naxalite activities.
• The Gadchiroli-Chimur constituency, which is the largest parliamentary constituency in the state, comprises Amgaon assembly segment in Gondia district, Armori, Gadchiroli, and Aheri segments in Gadchiroli district, and Bramhapuri and Chimur segments in Chandrapur district. It includes areas with Naxal insurgency, as its remote villages are separated by vast dense forests.