The 2019 Lok Sabha elections phase 5 has come to a close. The Election Commission (EC) reported an overall voter turnout of 62.46%. Jammu and Kashmir, the state with the lowest turnout in phase 5, and West Bengal saw sporadic violenceTMC and BJP workers clashed in Howrah, and militants attacked in some Jammu and Kashmir constituencies.
Fifty-one constituencies in seven states voted in phase 5. UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani, and Congress President Rahul Gandhi were the high-profile candidates this phase.
Voter turnouts
Phase 5 concluded with an overall turnout of 62.46%, reported the EC as of 8:15 pm. Phase 5 has logged the lowest turnout of all phases in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
West Bengal recorded the highest voter turnout in phase 5 with 74.42%. The state has been witnessing some of the highest turnouts in all phases this election, mostly in the mid to high seventies.
On Bengals heels is Madhya Pradesh with 64.61% turnout, Jharkhand with 64.60%, and Rajasthan with 63.69%.
Uttar Pradesh saw a 57.06% turnout. Even in phase 4, UP had recorded a turnout in the mid fifties.
Jammu and Kashmir has consistently recorded the lowest voter turnout. In phase 5, the state continued this trend and logged 17.07%.
Violence in Jammu and Kashmir, West Bengal
In Jammu and Kashmir, there were reports of violence in Srinagar constituency and Pulwama district.
Polling booths in Pulwama, the site of a recent terror attack perpetrated by the Jaish-e-Mohammad, were attacked by militants. In Pulwamas Chatpora and Cahapora polling stations, these militants threw grenades.
Even in Pulwamas Anantnag constituency, where violence has previously deterred voters from casting their ballots, PDP and Congress voters clashed. Jammu and Kashmirs Shopian polling booth was also set on fire earlier in the day.
West Bengal has become a battleground between the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and BJP.
ANI reported that, in Howrah, TMC MP Prasun Banerjee clashed with the security forces in the polling booth where he was apparently being forced out.
Banerjee and other TMC workers alleged that the security forces were campaigning on behalf of the BJP by urging people to press the partys button while voting. DNA India reports that when Prasun tried to intervene, he was pushed out of the booth.
DNA India also reports that, in Barrackpore, BJP candidate Arjun Singh was roughed up by TMC party workers who were allegedly threatening to murder people voting for the BJP.
However, TMC workers accused Singh of trying to intimidate voters. A scuffle between the two sides broke out, and security forces had to intervene.
There were also reports of EVM tampering in UP and Bengal.
Upcoming seats
Phase 6 of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections will commence on May 12; phase 7 will be the last one.
Fifty-nine seats in Delhi-NCR, Bihar, Haryana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal will be up for election. ECs model code of conduct, a rulebook for party and candidate behaviour, will remain in place during this time and until results are declared.
Results will be announced on May 23.
Rhea Arora is a Staff Writer at Qrius