At least 63.5 per cent of the 8.75 crore voters in the 51 seats across the seven states have exercised their franchise in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha election, 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. This phase, the leanest with polling on 51 seats, was marked by violence in parts of Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir. In Bengal, two persons, including a BJP candidate, were injured in separate incidents. A grenade was thrown at a polling booth and an explosion set off elsewhere in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama.
The Ladakh constituency in Jammu and Kashmir, which went to polls Monday, recorded a turnout of 71.10 per cent at 10 PM as per the EC app. In 2014, the turnout was nearly the same at 71.9 per cent.
Nearly 700 candidates are contesting for the 51 seats spread across seven states in phase 5 of Lok Sabha elections 2019 today. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, his mother and UPA chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, and six union ministers are some of the prominent candidates whose fate will be decided by over 8 crore voters in the seven states.
While 149 candidates have been fielded by national parties, 31 are representing state parties, and 252 candidates are contesting independently, Association for Democratic Reforms said.