57-turnout-in-5th-phase-of-ls-elections-bengal-hit-by-clashes

The fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections witnessed a 57% voter turnout across 49 constituencies spanning six states and two Union territories on Monday. 

 

The electoral exercise was marked by sporadic violence in West Bengal and technical glitches in electronic voting machines (EVMs) at several booths, notably in West Bengal and Odisha.

 

The voter turnout varied significantly across regions. Maharashtra reported the lowest participation at 48.88%, while West Bengal saw the highest at 73%. 

 

Other states recorded moderate turnouts: Bihar at 52.55%, Jammu and Kashmir at 54.21%, Jharkhand at 63%, Odisha at 60.72%, Uttar Pradesh at 57.43%, and Ladakh at 67.15%.

 

The Election Commission, providing updates till 7 pm, noted an overall approximate polling percentage of 57.38%. 

 

Despite the official voting time ending at 6 pm, queues at polling stations ensured that the process continued beyond the deadline.

 

In Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla constituency, voter turnout was notably high at over 54%, the highest in nearly four decades, surpassing even the 1984 turnout of 58.84%.

Violence in West Bengal

West Bengal, which saw a high voter turnout, was also the epicenter of several violent incidents. 

 

Clashes between Trinamool Congress (TMC) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters disrupted voting in multiple constituencies. 

 

Areas such as Barrackpore, Bongaon, and Arambagh experienced significant unrest.

 

In Arambagh’s Khanakul area, TMC and BJP supporters engaged in physical altercations, necessitating police intervention. 

 

Similarly, in Hooghly, BJP MP and candidate Locket Chatterjee faced protests from TMC activists, leading to a tense standoff that required police and central forces to disperse the crowds.

 

Howrah’s Liluah area also witnessed violence, with BJP accusing TMC workers of booth jamming, resulting in clashes that were quelled by central police forces. 

 

In Bongaon, BJP leader Subir Biswas was reportedly beaten by TMC supporters outside a booth and had to be hospitalized. 

 

Further, Union Minister and BJP candidate Shantanu Thakur reported finding a person impersonating his rival, TMC candidate Biswajit Das, inside a polling booth.

EVM glitches and other complaints

Technical issues with EVMs were reported from several states, with the Election Commission receiving 1,036 complaints regarding malfunctioning machines and political agents being barred from entering polling stations.

 

In Uttar Pradesh, the Congress party highlighted EVM malfunctions and alleged that BJP supporters prevented voters from casting ballots in Rae Bareli. 

 

Samajwadi Party candidate Shreya Verma complained about irregularities at polling booths in Gonda. 

 

Additionally, voters in Hisampur Madho village, Kaushambi, boycotted the polls, demanding assurances for local infrastructure improvements.

Maharashtra and Odisha incidents

In Maharashtra, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray expressed concerns over inadequate voter facilities at polling stations. 

 

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya accused Shiv Sena (UBT) members of corrupt practices, including using a dummy EVM for educational purposes, which led to police intervention.

 

Odisha witnessed a tragic incident where an auto-rickshaw driver transporting voters was murdered near Sarsara in Bargarh district. 

 

While the driver’s family alleged a political motive, the police cited personal enmity as the cause. EVM glitches were also reported at multiple locations in the state.

Overall voting statistics and progress

• This phase saw over 8.95 crore eligible voters, including 4.26 crore females and 5,409 third-gender electors. 
• The Election Commission deployed 9.47 lakh polling officials across 94,732 polling stations to facilitate the voting process
• With the completion of polling in 23 states and Union territories covering 379 seats, the election process moves closer to culmination.