Elections 2019: 63.5 per cent voter turnout in Phase 5; Violence in Kashmir, West Bengal

A voter turnout of 63.5 per cent was recorded in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections, which is the lowest in all the phases so far, Election Commission data shows.

Voters stand in queue to cast their votes at a polling station. Photo: PTI

NEW DELHI: A voter turnout of 63.5 per cent was recorded in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections, which is the lowest in all the phases so far, Election Commission data shows. According to the Commission's Voter Turnout android application, at 9.00 PM, the turnout in the Monday's polling was 63.5 per cent. The voter turnout has recorded a decreasing trend so far this election. During the day, two explosions at polling stations in Pulwama in Kashmir and clashes between TMC and BJP in West Bengal were reported. At 69.50 per cent, the polling in phase-1 is the highest in the five phase so far. In phase-2, the turnout was 69.44 per cent, it was 68.40 in phase-3 and 65.51 per cent in phase-4. Over 8.75 crore electors were to decide the fate of 674 candidates, including top leaders like Congress president Rahul Gandhi, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh, in this phase. The constituencies were spread across seven states. The fifth phase was the smallest of seven-phase elections to elect a new Lok Sabha. With this phase, election is over in 424 seats and polling in the remaining 118 seats will be held on May 12 and 19. The polling percentage was higher compared to 2014 in Hindi heartland of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. "The overall polling percentage was 62.56 per cent in 2019 compared to 61.75 per cent in 2014," Deputy Election Commissioner Sandeep Saxena told reporters here. He said the figure is expected to go up further once all the votes cast are accounted for. In seven seats in West Bengal, polling percentage was 73.97 per cent compared to 81.37 per cent in 2014. In Uttar Pradesh where 14 seats went to polls on Monday, 57.33 per cent voters had cast their ballot by 6 p.m. The polling percentage was 56.92 per cent in 2014. In five seats of Bihar, the voter turnout was 57.86 per cent compared to 55.69 per cent in 2014. In Jharkhand, where polling was held for four seats, 63.72 per cent electorate had cast their vote by 5 p.m. The polling percentage in these seats was 63.85 per cent in 2014. In Madhya Pradesh, the seven seats that went to the polls on Monsday, recorded a polling percentage of 62.60 per cent compared to 57.86 per cent in 2014. In Ladakh constituency of Jammu and Kashmir, polling was 63.76 per cent by 5 p.m compared to 71.9 per cent in 2014. Polling was completed in Anantnag parliamentary seat on Monday after a three-phase election. The two districts - Shopian and Pulwama - where polling was held on Monday, registered 2.88 per cent and 2.14 per cent polling until 6 p.m. The overall polling percentage in Anantnag is 8.76 per cent which is far less compared to 28.45 per cent registered in 2014. The 12 seats in Rajasthan that went to the polls on Monday saw 63.75 polling compared to 61.80 per cent in 2014. Saxena said 26 states and Union Territories have completed their election with the conclusion of fifth phase. The polling percentage was 69.50 per cent for the first phase, 69.44 in second, 68.40 in third and 65.51 in the fourth phase. He said in the five phases of elections completed until Monday, over six crore additional votes have been cast compared to the last general election. Four places in Rajasthan saw poll boycott due to demands concerning development but voters were later persuaded to vote. The seven-phase Lok Sabha elections started on April 11 and would conclude on May 19. Counting of votes will take place on May 23. So far, voting has been completed for fifth of the seven phases. Polling was held on Monday for 51 Lok Sabha seats spread across seven states in the fifth phase. In the first four phases, election was held to 91, 96, 117 and 72 seats on April 11, April 18, April 23, April 29 respectively. Polling for the sixth phase will be held on May 12.