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Election 2024

West Bengal: 7 LS seats witness 15% turnout by 9 am in 5th phase polling

Uluberia parliamentary constituency led the turnout with 17.25%, followed by Arambag (SC) at 16.38%, Howrah (15.20%), Bangaon (SC) at 15.19%, Barrackpore (15.08%), Sreerampur (14.43%), and Hooghly (14.01%).

News Arena Network - Kolkata - UPDATED: May 20, 2024, 10:37 AM - 2 min read

West Bengal: 7 LS seats witness 15% turnout by 9 am in 5th phase polling

Queue of first-time electors waiting to cast their votes at the Model Polling Station (Haringhata Mahavidyalaya) in the Bongaon (SC) Parliamentary Constituency of West Bengal on Monday.

The fifth phase of polling in West Bengal witnessed an early surge in voter participation, with over 15.35% turnout recorded across seven Lok Sabha constituencies by 9 am, according to an Election Commission official.

Polling, which commenced at 7 am, will continue till 6 pm across the 13,481 designated polling stations. A total of 1,25,23,702 voters, including 63,51,320 men, 61,72,034 women, and 348 third-gender individuals, are eligible to cast their votes.

The Election Commission has identified over 57% of polling stations as sensitive and deployed over 60,000 central forces personnel, along with 30,000 policemen, to ensure security.

A total of 88 candidates are contesting in this phase, with Bongaon witnessing the highest number of contenders at 15, including Union Minister Shantanu Thakur, who faces TMC's Biswajit Das.

This phase has seen the highest deployment of security forces compared to the earlier phases in the state.