New Delhi: Voting is progressing in 49 constituencies in six states and two UTs in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections Monday.
Today’s poll will decide the fate of several prominent leaders like former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani and former J-K chief minister Omar Abdullah.
Over 8.95 crore people, including 4.26 crore females and 5,409 third-gender electors, are eligible to vote in this round and 9.47 lakh polling officials have been deployed across 94,732 polling stations.
Among the seats going to polls, 13 are in Maharashtra, 14 in Uttar Pradesh, seven in West Bengal, five in Bihar, three in Jharkhand, five in Odisha, one in J-K and the lone seat in Ladakh. This round covers the least number of seats (49) in the seven-phase polls.
Voting is also being held in 35 assembly constituencies in Odisha, where BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is among the candidates.
Over 57% voter turnout recorded in fifth phase
Over 57 per cent voter turnout was recorded Monday in 49 constituencies in six states and two Union territories in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha election amid sporadic incidents of violence in West Bengal, besides EVM glitches at some booths in the state and neighbouring Odisha.
While Maharashtra recorded the lowest voter turnout at 48.88 per cent, West Bengal recorded the highest polling percentage at 73.
Among other states, Bihar recorded 52.55 cent turnout, Jammu and Kashmir 54.21 per cent, Jharkhand 63 per cent, Odisha 60.72 per cent, Uttar Pradesh 57.43 per cent and Ladakh 67.15.
According to the figures made available by the Election Commission till 7 pm, the approximate polling percentage was at 57.38.
Over 56% voter turnout recorded till 5pm
Over 56 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 5pm Monday in 49 constituencies in six states and two Union Territories in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections amid sporadic incidents of violence in West Bengal and poll boycotts in villages of Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand.
EVM glitches were also reported in some booths of Odisha and West Bengal.
While Maharashtra recorded the lowest voter turnout till 5pm with 48.66 per cent voters exercising their franchise, West Bengal recorded the highest voting percentage with 73 per cent.
Among other states, Bihar recorded 52.35 cent turnout, Jammu and Kashmir 54.21 per cent, Jharkhand 61.90 per cent, Odisha 60.55 per cent, Uttar Pradesh 55.80 per cent and Ladakh 67.15 per cent.
Over 47% of electors cast votes till 3pm
Over 47 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 3pm Monday in 49 constituencies in six states and two Union Territories in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections amid sporadic incidents of violence in West Bengal and poll boycotts in villages of Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand.
EVM glitches were also reported in some booths of Odisha and West Bengal.
While Maharashtra recorded the lowest voter turnout till 3pm with 38.77 per cent voters exercising their franchise, West Bengal recorded the highest voting percentage with 62.72 per cent.
Among other states, Bihar recorded 45.33 cent turnout, Jammu and Kashmir 44.90 per cent, Jharkhand 53.90 per cent, Odisha 48.95 per cent, Uttar Pradesh 47.55 per cent and Ladakh 61.26 per cent.
Over 36% of voters exercise their franchise till 1pm
Over 36 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 1pm Monday in 49 constituencies in six states and two Union Territories in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections amid sporadic incidents of violence in West Bengal and poll boycott in a village of Uttar Pradesh.
EVM glitches were also reported in some booths of Odisha and West Bengal.
While Maharashtra recorded the lowest voter turnout till 1pm with 27.78 per cent voters exercising their franchise, Ladakh recorded the highest voting percentage with 52.02 per cent.
Among other states Bihar recorded 34.62 cent turnout, Jammu and Kashmir 34.79 per cent, Jharkhand 41.89 per cent, Odisha 35.31 per cent, Uttar Pradesh 39.55 per cent and West Bengal 48.51 per cent.
Over 2,000 villagers boycott polls in Jharkhand’s Hazaribag
2,000 voters in a village in Jharkhand’s Hazaribag district boycotted the Lok Sabha election Monday because their long-standing demand for a bridge had not been met, an official said.
The incident took place in Kusumbha village under the jurisdiction of Katkamdag police station, nearly 105km from state capital Ranchi. The village is part of Hazaribag Lok Sabha constituency.
By noon, no votes had been cast at booths 183 and 184, located at Upgraded Middle School, Kusumbha. Polling officials were seen waiting for voters.
Odisha: Auto-rickshaw driver hacked to death
In Odisha, some unidentified persons allegedly hacked an auto-rickshaw driver to death near Sarsara in Bargarh district. The deceased was carrying some voters to the polling booth. While the family members claimed it was a political murder, police say personal enmity is the reason behind the crime.
EVM glitches were also reported from some places of Odisha.
BJP accuses Sanjay Raut of ‘corrupt practices’
BJP leader Kirit Somaiya alleged that Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Sanjay Raut and Sunil Raut were found involved in “corrupt practices” outside their polling booth at Bhandup in Mumbai.
The former MP also claimed that two activists of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) were arrested for “illegal and corrupt practices of using a fake EVM”.
However, MLA Sunil Raut, who is the brother of Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut, dismissed the allegations saying a dummy electronic voting machine (EVM) was kept outside the 100-metre radius of the polling booth for educational purpose.
Still, the police removed it under “political pressure”, he claimed.
23.66% voter turnout till 11am
An approximate voter turnout of 23.66 per cent was recorded in the first four hours of polling Monday in 49 constituencies in six states and two Union Territories in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections amid reports of EVM glitches in some places and poll boycott in a village of Uttar Pradesh.
While Maharashtra recorded the lowest voter turnout till 11am with 15.93 per cent voters exercising their franchise, West Bengal recorded the highest voting percentage with 32.70 per cent.
Among other states, Bihar recorded 21.11 cent turnout, Jammu and Kashmir 21.37 per cent, Jharkhand 26.18 per cent, Ladakh 27.87 per cent, Odisha 21.097 per cent and Uttar Pradesh 27.76 per cent.
Poll-violence in Bengal
Scattered incidents of violence marred the fifth phase of Lok Sabha polls in seven parliamentary constituencies in West Bengal Monday, as TMC and BJP workers clashed in various parts of Barrackpore, Bongaon, and Arambagh seats.
Although the poll panel has claimed that the polling has been peaceful so far, it said it has received 1,036 complaints until 11 am from different political parties alleging EVM malfunctioning and agents being stopped from entering booths.
Clashes broke out between supporters of TMC and BJP in Khanakul area of Arambagh constituency as both parties clashed over stopping polling agents from entering the booths.
Two live crude bombs were also recovered from the area by security personnel.
In Bongaon constituency’s Gayeshpur area, local BJP leader Subir Biswas was allegedly beaten by TMC goons outside a booth. He was later shifted to hospital.
In the Kalyani area of the same constituency, Union Minister and BJP candidate Shantanu Thakur caught a person using the identity card of his rival TMC candidate Biswajit Das inside a polling booth.
The person was later removed from the booth by central forces.
In some areas, TMC workers staged protest following allegations that central forces were assisting BJP workers in intimidating voters at some booths of Hooghly.
BJP’s Locket faces protest
In neighbouring Hooghly constituency, BJP sitting MP and party candidate Locket Chatterjee faced protests from TMC activists led by TMC MLA Ashima Patra.
As Chatterjee was on her way to a booth, TMC activists staged protests and shouted “Chor Chor (thief thief) slogans”.
Following this, the BJP MP got down from her car and shouted counter slogans.
A huge police and central forces contingent rushed to the spot and stopped the two groups.
Congress alleges unfair polling in UP
In Uttar Pradesh, Amethi recorded a voter turnout of 27.20 per cent till 11 am, and Rae Bareli 28.10 per cent.
Samajwadi Party candidate from Gonda parliamentary constituency, Shreya Verma, has complained to the Election Commission that fair polling is not taking place at two booths in Mankapur area in Gonda.
The Uttar Pradesh unit of Congress said on X that “Booth number 5 Rasulpur in Sareni in Rae Bareli is closed since 8.00 am. Voters are going back, this is how it will be 400-paar (cross 400 seats).”
Apart from this, the Congress in its various posts on X complained of EVM malfunctioning and accused the BJP of not allowing people to cast votes in three booths in Bela Khara village in Rae Bareli district.
UP villagers boycott voting
According to reports from Kaushambi, voters of Hisampur Madho village boycotted voting.
Angry villagers say they will consider voting only after getting an assurance from the administration that a road and railway bridge will be built in their area.
Jawan removed over molestation charges
Voting commenced peacefully in West Bengal where the Election Commission removed a BSF jawan from poll duty in Uluberia Lok Sabha constituency following a complaint of molestation against him, an official said.
A woman lodged the molestation complaint at Uluberia Police Station Sunday evening, he said.
“We have removed him from election duty. We are waiting for the police report. If found guilty, necessary action will be taken as per law,” the poll panel official told PTI.
10.28% turnout till 9am
An approximate voter turnout of 10.28 per cent was recorded in the first two hours of polling Monday in 49 constituencies in six states and two Union Territories.
While Maharashtra recorded the lowest voter turnout till 9am with 6.33 per cent voters exercising their franchise, West Bengal recorded the highest voting percentage with 15.35 per cent.
Among the other states Bihar recorded 8.86 per cent turnout, Jammu and Kashmir 7.63 per cent, Jharkhand 11.68 per cent, Ladakh 10.51 per cent, Odisha 6.87 per cent and Uttar Pradesh 12.89 per cent.
Prominent early voters were Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das, BSP chief Mayawati, Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, Union Minister Piyush Goyal and industrialist Anil Ambani.
Polling booths in many parts of Mumbai saw a good turnout.
Film stars Akshay Kumar, Farhan Akhtar, Rajkummar Rao and Jahnvi Kapoor were also among the early voters in Mumbai.
Polling for 23 states and Union territories and 379 seats has been completed so far.
The sixth and seventh phases are May 25 and June 1 respectively. The counting of votes is June 4.
PTI