The fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections takes place today, with 49 constituencies from six states and two union territories voting, including India's financial capital Mumbai and Uttar Pradesh's capital Lucknow.
Prominent candidates on the ballot include former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, BJP ministers Smriti Irani, Rajnath Singh, and Piyush Goyal, Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) leader Omar Abdullah, RJD chief Lalu Prasad’s daughter Rohini Acharya and Ram Vilas Paswan’s son Chirag Paswan.
Only three candidates—BJP’s Tashi Gyalson, Congress’ Tsering Namgyal and independent candidate Haji Hanifa Jan, who belongs to the National Conference—are in the fray for the Ladakh seat, the largest in the country with a total area of 173.266 sq km.
According to political observers, Hanifa Jan has an edge over two other contestants as he enjoys mass support in Kargil district. “The votes in Leh will be divided between BJP and Congress candidates, while in Kargil the votes may go to Hanifa Jan with less chances of division of votes,” they said.
Heads turned when former Jammu and Kashmir CM and National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah chose Baramulla over his comfort zone of Srinagar. Omar, 53, is pitted against Peoples Conference (PC) chairman Sajad Gani Lone, who has the backing of the BJP.
Baramulla is a stronghold of the National Conference but neither Omar nor his father, Farooq Abdullah, ever contested from here. The Abdullahs have always preferred Srinagar, given their party’s hold in central Kashmir.
The stakes are high this time as the LS poll outcome will set the tone for the Assembly polls later this year.
For the first time in Hazaribagh, two OBC candidates—Hazaribagh (Sadar) MLA Manish Jaiswal of the BJP and Mandu MLA Jai Prakash Bhai Patel of the Congress—lock horns against making the contest interesting and unpredictable. According to locals who have been keeping tabs on the political pulse, both candidates have equal chances of winning the seat.
The Hazaribagh Lok Sabha seat is a BJP stronghold, with former Union Ministers Yashwant Sinha and his son Jayant Sinha winning the seat a combined five times, with Jayant being the incumbent MP. However, the saffron party has moved away from the Sinha family this time.
Mumbai North Central Lok Sabha constituency, home to several celebrities and spread across many posh areas including Bandra and Vile Parle, is witnessing a close contest between renowned lawyer Ujjwal Nikam of the BJP and Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad.
Interestingly, neither Nikam nor Gaikwad was the first choice of their respective parties. Nikam was picked at the last moment by the BJP. As for Gaikwad, it was Congress' alliance partner, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), that proposed her name.
Chirag Paswan of the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) is riding high on the Modi factor and his late father Ram Vilas Paswan’s legacy from the Hajipur (SC) constituency.
Chirag chose Hajipur this time, believing it to be the ‘karmabhoomi’ of his father and had to fight hard to overtake his uncle, Pashupati Paras, the current MP from the constituency, in the NDA.
The junior Paswan is pitted against Shiv Chandra Ram of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Shiv Chandra, twice MLA from Rajapakar and former state minister, unsuccessfully contested the election in 2019 but lost to Pashupati Kumar Paras largely due to the ‘Modi wave’. Shiv Chandra is considered to be close to Lalu Prasad.
The five seats going to polls in Bihar will witness new candidates in four seats and a turncoat trying his luck in the remaining one.
In the high-profile seat of Saran, Rohini Acharya is pitted against BJP MP and former Union Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy. Acharya, who hit the headlines for donating one of her kidneys to her father, RJD chief and former chief minister Lalu Prasad, is making her debut in electoral politics.
Saran is considered the home ground of Lalu Prasad, who had represented the seat four times before being disqualified after his conviction in cases linked to a multi-crore fodder scam in 2013.
Amethi was waiting for Rahul Gandhi. When he decided to make Rae Bareli his second arena, as part of his much-awaited return to north India, it undoubtedly became a bit of a letdown for his supporters. A proxy war has been raging since, with Smriti Irani left stranded in a lonely fight for weeks before the Congress made up its mind.
If insiders are to be believed, INDIA bloc leaders strongly advised the GOP not to let any part of the election become a clash of big names.
‘Avoid Smriti vs Rahul contest’, it was said.
For that would have hogged the headlines, overshadowing all else. It was to be made local—or rather, ‘issue-based’.
The political heartland of India will seal the fate of five Union ministers today. The 14 seats comprise not only Congress citadels—Rae Bareli and Amethi—but also Ayodhya, the nerve centre of the BJP's Hindutva plank.
In fact, this phase will decide the tone and tenor of the sixth and seventh rounds, which will be concentrated across 27 seats in Purvanchal. Moreover, four constituencies in Bundelkhand will decide whether to let the BJP achieve a hat-trick or vote for change.
UP's Faizabad constituency, comprising Ayodhya, could be easily mistaken for the nerve centre of temple politics but if past Lok Sabha elections are anything to go by, the poll outcome in this temple town has mostly been tied to the caste factor. And the 2024 LS poll is no different.
Bihar: 5 seats
Jammu and Kashmir: 1 seat
Jharkhand: 3 seats
Ladakh: 1 seat
Maharashtra: 13 seats
Odisha: 5 seats
Uttar Pradesh: 14 seats
West Bengal: 7 seats
Polling for five Lok Sabha constituencies and 35 assembly seats in Odisha began amid tight security on Monday, officials said.
Voting commenced at 7 am in Aska, Kandhamal, Bolangir, Bargarh, and Sundargarh parliamentary constituencies, along with 35 assembly segments within these Lok Sabha seats.
Prominent leaders whose electoral fate will be decided include Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who is contesting from two assembly segments (Hinjili in Ganjam district and Kantabanji in Bolangir district), six Odisha ministers, BJP MPs Sangeeta Singh Deo and Jual Oram, and former Indian hockey skipper Dilip Tirkey.
Polling for the fifth phase of Lok Sabha polls commenced across seven parliamentary constituencies of West Bengal amid tight security on Monday, an official said.
Voting commenced in Bangaon (SC), Barrackpore, Howrah, Uluberia, Sreerampur, Hooghly, and Arambag (SC) Lok Sabha constituencies at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm.
Polling began on Monday in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency where 22 candidates, including former chief minister Omar Abdullah, are in the fray, officials said.
Voting began at 7 am. People were seen lining up outside the polling stations to exercise their franchise in some areas of the constituency, the officials said.
Voting for five Lok Sabha seats in Bihar began amid tight security arrangements on Monday, a senior election official said.
Polling commenced at 7 am in Muzaffarpur, Madhubani, Sitamarhi, Saran and Hajipur constituencies and will continue till 6 pm, the official at the CEO office said.
Notable contestants include NDA ally Chirag Paswan in Hajipur, Lalu Prasad's daughter Rohini Acharya, who is pitted against two-term sitting BJP MP and former Union minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy in Saran, and Muzaffarpur's sitting MP Ajay Nishad, who crossed over to the Congress after being denied a BJP ticket for a third term.
Polling began Monday morning for 13 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, including six in Mumbai, in the fifth and last phase of general elections in the state, an official said.
Union ministers Piyush Goyal , Bharati Pawar and Kapil Patil are among the key nominees of the BJP, which has also fielded lawyer Ujjwal Nikam.
Shiv Sena's Shrikant Shinde and Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad are also in the fray.
The main contest is between the ruling Mahayuti comprising the Shiv Sena, BJP and NCP, and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance comprising Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (SP).
Actor-producer Farhan Akhter who arrived at a polling station in Bandra West to cast his vote on Monday. He said, “My vote is for good governance, the government that looks after all people. Please step out and vote."
Voting for the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh covering 14 Lok Sabha constituencies, which will decide the fate of five Union ministers, including Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani, and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, began on Monday morning.
Voting will also take place for the assembly bypoll to Lucknow East assembly constituency.
BJP's Arjun Singh accused TMC's Bhowmick of distributing money ahead of the fifth phase of elections.
"A complaint has already been made to the Election Commission.If such things keep happening, it will not be good for Partha Bhowmick (TMC candidate)."
Barrackpore is among the seven constituencies in southern West Bengal going to polls today.
Businessman Anil Ambani arrived at a polling booth in Mumbai's Colaba to cast his vote.
Union Minister and BJP candidate from Mumbai North Lok Sabha seat, Piyush Goyal casts his vote.
After casting his vote, Piyush Goyal said "This election has given me the opportunity to meet several people and take their blessings. Being a Mumbaikar, the way people have hosted me is a wonderful feeling...My family members have come from abroad to exercise their right to vote..."
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday appealed the voters to cast franchise in festival of democracy and create a new record of voting.
As polling began in 49 constituencies for the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday urged people to vote for love and not hatred and cast their ballot against unemployment and inflation.
In a post in Hindi on X, Kharge said, "If we want to protect democracy and the Constitution, we must vote.
Before pressing the button on EVM, remember that we should vote for love and brotherhood, not for hatred."
BSP Supremo Mayawati shows her ink-marked finger and ID card after casting her vote for the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections, in Lucknow.
Mayawati also appealed everyone to come out and cast their votes. She said, "I request all political parties to prioritise the issues of development and the welfare of the people. Whether it is the BJP or Congress, all the parties say that they are forming the government but everything will be clear when the results are announced.."
The Election Commission on Monday removed a BSF personnel 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 on 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.
Voters waiting in a queue to cast their votes in a pink polling station in Watergam area of Rafiabad in Baramulla in north Kashmir. This area used to witness low voter turnout in previous elections.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday urged people to cast their ballot in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha polls, stressing that their vote will free the country from inflation, unemployment and economic crisis.
"In a post in Hindi on X, Priyanka Gandhi said, "With your one vote, Rs 1 lakh will come into the account of a woman from every poor family annually, every citizen will get the facility of free treatment worth Rs 25 lakh, the youth will get 30 lakh government jobs, the youth will get apprenticeship worth (Rs) 1 lakh annually, and SC/ST/OBC will get proper participation."
Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das cast his vote here early Monday morning and urged all electors to exercise their franchise.
"I urge all the voters to vote this is a right in our parliamentary democracy and everyone should exercise it," Das told PTI after casting his vote at a polling centre near his official residence his south Mumbai.
Voters should exercise their franchise in large numbers even during the remaining phases of the general elections, he said.
Bollywood stars Akshay Kumar, Rajkummar Rao, Jahnvi Kapoor and others stepped out early Monday morning to vote in the Lok Sabha elections in Mumbai.
"I want my India to be developed and strong and I kept these things in my mind when I went to cast my vote. All Indians should think what is right for them and vote,"Kumar said after casting his vote at a polling station in Juhu.
This is the first time Kumar has voted since receiving the Indian citizenship.
Over 10 % voter turnout recorded till 9 am, in the fifth phase of elections. Bihar 8.86%
Jammu & Kashmir 7.63%
Jharkhand 11.68%
Ladakh 10.51%
Maharashtra 6.33%
Odisha 6.87%
West Bengal 15.35%
The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) has made several allegations so far, claiming that three of its workers have been beaten by "BJP goons" leaving one severely injured.
Further, it has said that it received 48 complaints from polling booths, most of which are related to EVM-related malfunctions.
Earlier in Barrackpore, BJP MP and candidate Arjun Singh levelled allegations against TMC's candidate Partha Bhowmick of "distributing money" for votes on Sunday night.
“I only hope that people would cast their vote. Their voice plays a vital role in democracy and for that, they will have to vote,” says JKNC vice president and party candidate from North Kashmir Baramulla parliamentary constituency Omar Abdullah
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday said it has become clear that people have stood up to protect the Constitution and democracy and the country is witnessing a storm of change.
In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said, "This country is fed up with the politics of hatred and is now voting on its own issues."
More than 7. 60 percent of the 17.37 lakh electorate exercised their franchise in the first two hours of polling in the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, officials said here.
Voters across Budgam & Beerwah enthusiastically line up early morning to cast their vote for Baramulla Parliamentary Constituency on Monday.
Karan Bhushan Singh, BJP candidate from Kaserganj casts his vote along with wife Neha Singh.
Benching Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh , the sitting MP from the Kaiserganj Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party( BJP) fielded his younger son Karan Bhushan in his place. Brij Bhushan is facing the legal proceeding over the charges following a prolonged protest by the ace wrestlers of the country.
Raebareli 28.10%
Amethi 27.20%
More than 21.30 percent of the 17.37 lakh electorate exercised their franchise in the first four hours of polling in the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, officials said here.
National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah, People's Conference president Sajad Gani Lone and jailed head of Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) Sheikh Abdul Rashid alias Engineer Rashid are among the key candidates in the fray.
Elderly voters in wheelchairs show their inked fingers after casting votes for the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections.
Nearly 26.18 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 11 am in three Lok Sabha constituencies in Jharkhand on Monday, elections officials said here.
Voting started at 7 am in Chatra, Hazaribag and Koderma Lok Sabha seats, marking the second phase of elections in the eastern state, and will continue till 5 pm.
Chatra seat saw about 26.01 per cent voter turnout till 11 am while the same was at 25.45 per cent and 26.95 per cent in Hazaribag and Koderma seats respectively.
Odisha recorded around 21 per cent voter turnout till 11 am in the polling for five Lok Sabha constituencies and 35 Assembly segments.
Lok Sabha and Assembly elections are being held simultaneously in Odisha.
Police said there was no report of any untoward incident in any polling booth.
A voter turnout of 23.66 per cent was recorded as of 11 am, according to the EC's Voter Turnout App
West Bengal has the highest polling percentage at 32.70%, while Maharashtra is the lowest at 15.93%
One seat (Baramulla) in Jammu and Kashmir recorded 21.37%. The other UT going to polls today, Ladakh recorded 27.87%
Over 24 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 11 am today in the bypoll to the Gandey assembly seat in Jharkhand, officials said.
The bypoll is being held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections for three constituencies, Chatra, Hazaribag and Koderma.
Former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray with wife Rashmi Thackeray and sons Aaditya Thackeray and Tejas Thackeray after casting his vote during the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections.
Scattered incidents of violence marred the fifth phase of Lok Sabha polls in seven parliamentary constituencies in West Bengal on 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.
A voter turnout of 36.73 per cent was recorded in phase 5 till 1 pm as per the Election Commission’s Voter Turnout App with the highest polling percentage in West Bengal and the lowest in Maharashtra.
Bihar: 34.62%
Jammu& Kashmir: 34.79%
Jharkhand: 41.89%
Ladakh: 52.02%
Maharashtra: 27.78%
Odisha: 35.31%
Uttar Pradesh: 39.55%
West Bengal: 48.41%
Overall: 34.79 %
Bandipora - 35.77 %
Baramulla - 31.68 %
Beerwah - 38.00 %
Budgam - 33.72 %
Gulmarg - 34.37 %
Gurez (st) - 30.36 %
Handwara - 38.76 %
Karnah - 37.61 %
Kupwara - 33.53 %
Langate - 40.53 %
Lolab - 37.08 %
Pattan - 32.82 %
Rafiabad - 37.58 %
Sonawari - 36.26 %
Sopore - 19.44 %
Trehgam - 35.78 %
Uri - 38.47 %
Wagoora - Kreeri - 32.94 %
Ladakh voter turnout till 1 pm
Overall: 52.02 %
Kargil - 57.69 %
Leh - 45.90 %
This is the biggest festival and everyone should vote as you will get this opportunity after 5 years. If you haven't voted then you have no right to complain...Actor Manoj Bajpayee
A voter turnout of 27.78 per cent was recorded till 1 pm on Monday in 13 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra as voting was underway for the fifth and final phase of general elections in the state, as per poll authorities.
Among the 13 seats, Bhiwandi recorded 27.34 per cent polling, Dhule 28.73 per cent, Dindori 33.25 per cent, Kalyan 22.52 per cent, Mumbai North 26.78 per cent, Mumbai North Central 28.05 per cent, Mumbai North East 28.82 per cent, Mumbai North West 28.41 per cent, Mumbai South 24.46 per cent, Mumbai South Central 27.21 per cent, Nashik 28.51 per cent, Palghar 31.06 per cent and Thane 26.05 per cent.
Baramulla recorded an overall voter turnout percentage of 44.9% as of 3 pm.
Bandipora - 46.86 %
Baramulla - 39.44 %
Beerwah - 46.00 %
Budgam - 40.71 %
Gulmarg - 44.99 %
Gurez (st) - 35.02 %
Handwara - 53.06 %
Karnah - 48.17 %
Kupwara - 45.17 %
Langate - 50.97 %
Lolab - 46.97 %
Pattan - 43.02 %
Rafiabad - 47.48 %
Sonawari - 46.55 %
Sopore - 31.11 %
Trehgam - 47.17 %
Uri - 50.20 %
Wagoora - Kreeri - 40.45 %
Ladakh records overall voter turnout of 61.26% till 3 pm
Kargil - 66.05 %
Leh - 56.10 %
Bihar: 45.33%
Jammu and Kashmir: 44.9%
Jharkhand: 53.9%
Ladakh: 61.26%
Maharashtra: 38.77%
Odisha: 48.95%
Uttar Pradesh: 47.55%
West Bengal: 62.72%
"I didn't get a chance to vote in the past and voted today to choose a government which will work for the country's development," said Ghulam Qadir Darzi, 52, as he emerged out of a polling station in Sopore here on Monday after voting for the first time.
The new government should create enough employment opportunities for the unemployed youth, said Darzi, a retired government employee.
Standing in a long queue outside this polling station in Delina village in the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency's Sopore, a region once known for its association with separatist activities, are many such voters who stayed away from elections in the past amid boycott calls and threats issued by separatists.
Of the five LS seats, the highest 53.88 per cent polling was recorded in Bargarh parliamentary seat followed by Sundergarh (48.96), Kandhanmal (48.93%), Aska (46.23%) and Bolangir (46.96%).
From among the 35 assembly constituencies, Bhatli recorded 50,68 per cent polling followed by tribal-dominated Bonai assembly (58.30 per cent), while the lowest voter turnout was 41.17 at Patnagarh in Bolangir district.
Till 3 pm 48.95 cent of the over 79.69 lakh voters have exercised their franchise, officials said.
The Arambag (SC) parliamentary constituency registered the highest polling at 67.12 per cent followed by Uluberia at 66.45 per cent, Hooghly (65.01 per cent), Sreerampur (63.05 per cent), Bangaon (SC) (61.83 per cent), Howrah (58.81 per cent) and Barrackpore (55.34 per cent), he said.
Among the 13 constituencies, Bhiwandi recorded 37.06 per cent polling, Dhule 39.97 per cent, Dindori 45.95 per cent, Kalyan 32.43 per cent, Mumbai North 39.33 per cent, Mumbai North Central 37.66 per cent, Mumbai North East 39.15 per cent, Mumbai North West 39.91 per cent, Mumbai South 36.64 per cent, Mumbai South Central 38.77 per cent, Nashik 39.41 per cent, Palghar 42.48 per cent and Thane 36.07 per cent.
Bihar: 52.35%
Jammu and Kashmir: 54.21%
Jharkhand: 61.9%
Ladakh: 67.15%
Maharashtra: 48.66%
Odisha: 60.55%
Uttar Pradesh: 55.8%
West Bengal: 73%
As responsible Indian citizens we must exercise our right to vote this Monday in Maharashtra. Let's carry out our duty as Indians and vote keeping our country's best interests in mind. Go forth Promote, our right to Vote.Shah Rukh Khan, Actor
While at some places people who had turned up at polling booths early in the morning left without casting their vote after waiting in the line for a long time, Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray alleged that the process was slowed down deliberately.
A resident of Goregaon under Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency claimed that he had to wait for 45 minutes to cast his vote.
"I felt that the officials at the polling booth were taking long (to conduct the process)," he said.
A voter in Bimbisar Nagar in Goregaon East said, "I came to vote around noon, but it took nearly one and a half hours. I am a senior citizen and still came to vote, but it took longer than it had taken in 2019."
Sultan Shaikh, a resident of Bhiwandi constituency near Mumbai, said, "I was told that my name is not there in the voters' list, so I could not vote."
Over 57 per cent voter turnout was recorded on 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.
Although voting time was till 6 pm, people already in queue by that time were allowed to vote.
Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency recorded a voter turnout of more than 54 per cent, already registering its highest polling percentage in almost four decades.
The overall polling percentage of 54.21 this time is second only to the 58.84 per cent turnout the constituency saw in 1984.