Lok Sabha Elections Phase 5: Polling Begins for 49 Seats; All eyes on Amethi, Raebareli

• Image Credit: Google

• May 20, 2024 | Guriya Khatun

Notable personalities, including Bollywood celebrities like Akshay Kumar, Zoya Akhtar, Farhan Akhtar, and business magnate Anil Ambani from the Reliance Group, were seen casting their votes in Mumbai. 

Digital Desk: Voting is currently underway for the fifth phase of  Lok Sabha elections, encompassing 49 constituencies spread across six states and two Union Territories. This phase holds significant importance as it will determine the electoral destiny of several prominent leaders, including former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani, and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

Throughout the day, people have been queuing up to exercise their voting rights across these constituencies. Notable personalities, including Bollywood celebrities like Akshay Kumar, Zoya Akhtar, Farhan Akhtar, and business magnate Anil Ambani from the Reliance Group, were seen casting their votes in Mumbai. Additionally, Union Minister Piyush Goyal, contesting from Mumbai North Lok seat, and BSP supremo Mayawati from Lucknow, also participated in the voting process.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged voters across the 49 seats to turn out in record numbers, especially encouraging women and young voters to exercise their franchise.

Here are the latest developments from the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections:

1. Dinesh Pratap Singh, BJP's candidate from Raebareli, cast his vote and expressed confidence in BJP's prospects in Amethi and Raebareli.

2. BJP MP Arjun Singh alleged that Trinamool Congress candidate Partha Bhowmick distributed money the previous night to incite violence in Bengal's Barrackpore constituency.

3. A total of 695 candidates, including 82 women, are contesting for the 49 seats in this phase. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has urged voters to participate in greater numbers following low turnouts in previous phases.

4. Over 8.95 crore eligible voters, including 4.26 crore females and 5,409 third-gender electors, are expected to cast their votes across 94,732 polling stations.

5. The 49 seats up for grabs include 13 in Maharashtra, 14 in Uttar Pradesh, seven in Bengal, five each in Bihar and Odisha, three in Jharkhand, and one each in Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

6. Prominent candidates in this phase include Union Ministers Piyush Goyal, Rajnath Singh, and Smriti Irani, along with several other key figures.

7. Security measures have been intensified in seven Bengal constituencies with a history of violence, with over 57% of polling stations marked as sensitive.

8. The voter turnout for the past four phases stood at 66.95%, with around 45.1 crore electors exercising their franchise. Polling for 23 states and Union Territories and 379 seats has been completed, with the remaining phases scheduled for May 25 and June 1, and vote counting set for June 4.