iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
The fifth phase of polling for Lok Sabha polls on May 20 across 49 parliamentary constituencies in six states and two Union Territories (UTs) saw a voter turnout of 23.66 per cent till 11 am, the Election Commission of India (ECI) said on Monday, May 20.
While West Bengal recorded a 32.70 percent voter turnout, Bihar recorded a 21.11 percent, Jammu and Kashmir recorded 21.37 percent, Jharkhand 26.18 percent, Ladakh 27.87 percent, Maharashtra 15.93 percent, and Odisha 21.07 per cent, the ECI said.
Over 8.95 crore voters, including 4.69 crore males, 4.26 crore females, and 5409 third-gender electors, will decide the fate of 695 candidates in the fifth phase of voting, as per the poll body. The fifth phase is witnessing significant contests.
Leaders such as Congress’ Rahul Gandhi, BJP’s Rajnath Singh, Smriti Irani, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Piyush Goyal, Ujjwal Nikam, Karan Bhushan Singh, LJP (Ramvilas) chief Chirag Paswan, JKNC chief Omar Abdullah, and RJD’s Rohini Acharya are looking for electoral success.
The eight states/UTs polling in phase 5 are Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Mumbai, Thane, and Lucknow are polling in this phase. Of the 49 Lok Sabha seats, 14 are from Uttar Pradesh, 13 from Maharashtra, 7 from West Bengal, 5 from Bihar, 3 from Jharkhand, 5 from Odisha, and one each from Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
A total of 216 international border check posts and 565 inter-state border check posts are keeping a strict vigil on any illicit flow of liquor, drugs, cash, and freebies. Strict surveillance has been kept on sea and air routes, the ECI said.
