Lok Sabha Elections Phase 5 Voting Sees Over 60% Turnout, J&K's Baramulla Sees Highest Polling Since 1984

Lok Sabha Elections Phase 5: In the fifth phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, West Bengal recorded the highest voter turnout, while Maharashtra witnessed the lowest voting. 

Lok Sabha Elections Phase 5: The Election Commission has said that a voter turnout of over 60 percent was recorded on Monday in 49 constituencies in six states and two Union territories in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections. As per the data shared by the EC, a turnout of 60.48 percent was witnessed on Monday 

West Bengal recorded the highest polling percentage at 76.05 percent, while Maharashtra recorded the lowest at 54.33 percent. Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla recorded its highest-ever voting percentage since the 1984 general election at 58.17 percent. West Bengal witnessed the highest turnout, despite scattered incidents of violence. In Maharashtra, there were complaints of slow voting and EVM glitches at some booths, as reported by news agency PTI.

Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency, which was once militancy-infested, recorded its highest-ever voter turnout since 1984 at 58.17 percent. In the 1984 General election, Baramulla witnessed a voter turnout of 61.09 percent.

On Monday, the apex poll body said parliamentary constituencies in various urban cities like Mumbai, Thane, Nashik, and Lucknow continued the trend of urban apathy as noticed in the 2019 general elections, as reported by PTI.

Six Lok Sabha constituencies in Mumbai witnessed voting between 47 percent and around 55 percent. Thane recorded a turnout of 49.81 percent, according to the EC's voter turnout app, at midnight.

Among other states, Bihar recorded 54.85 percent turnout, Jharkhand 63.09 percent, Odisha 69.34 percent, Uttar Pradesh 57.79 percent, and Ladakh 69.62 percent. The approximate turnout in the fifth phase was 60.48 percent. With polling in 49 Lok Sabha constituencies on Monday, a total of five phases of voting have concluded. Two more phases—on May 25 and June 1—are remaining now. The counting of votes is on June 4.

Incidents of violence marred the polls in seven parliamentary constituencies in West Bengal, where TMC and BJP workers clashed in various parts of Barrackpore, Bongaon, and Arambagh seats. Till 4.30 pm, the state CEO's office received 1,913 complaints in connection, including those related to EVM malfunctioning and polling agents being stopped from entering booths, an election official said, as reported by PTI.