Indian poll turnout huge despite sporadic violence

Amid attacks on two BJP candidates, Arjun Singh and Locket Chatterjee, and also on polling agents of oppositions parties in West Bengal along with cases of intimidation, violence, bombings and EVM glitches, nearly 74 per cent of electorate in seven constituencies in the state voted till 5pm on Monday in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha polls.

Polling was highest in Uluberia (77.57 per cent) followed by Bongaon (76.18), Hooghly (76.14), Arambag (75.73), Sreerampur (73.31), Barrackpore (71.28) and Howrah (67.59).

In the last Lok Sabha polls in 2014, the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress had won all these seven seats.

Over 62 per cent voters exercised their franchise on Monday in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections in 51 constituencies across India, with voting percentage marginally higher than 61.75 per cent recorded in 2014 parliamentary elections.

The constituencies were spread across seven states. The fifth phase was the smallest of seven-phase elections to elect a new Lok Sabha.

The polling percentage was higher compared to 2014 in Hindi heartland of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.

“The overall polling percentage was 62.56 per cent in 2019 compared to 61.75 per cent in 2014,” Deputy Election Commissioner Sandeep Saxena told reporters here.

He said the figure is expected to go up further once all the votes cast are accounted for.

In seven seats in West Bengal, polling percentage was 73.97 per cent compared to 81.37 per cent in 2014.

In Uttar Pradesh where 14 seats went to polls on Monday, 57.33 per cent voters had cast their ballot by 6 p.m. The polling percentage was 56.92 per cent in 2014.

In five seats of Bihar, the voter turnout was 57.86 per cent compared to 55.69 per cent in 2014.

In Jharkhand, where polling was held for four seats, 63.72 per cent electorate had cast their vote by 5 p.m. The polling percentage in these seats was 63.85 per cent in 2014.

In Madhya Pradesh, the seven seats that went to the polls on Monday, recorded a polling percentage of 62.60 per cent compared to 57.86 per cent in 2014.

In Ladakh constituency of Jammu and Kashmir, polling was 63.76 per cent by 5 pm compared to 71.9 per cent in 2014.

Polling was completed in Anantnag parliamentary seat on Monday after a three-phase election. The two districts — Shopian and Pulwama — where polling was held on Monday, registered 2.88 per cent and 2.14 per cent polling until 6pm.

The overall polling percentage in Anantnag is 8.76 per cent which is far less compared to 28.45 per cent registered in 2014.

The 12 seats in Rajasthan that went to the polls on Monday saw 63.75 polling compared to 61.80 per cent in 2014.

Saxena said 26 states and Union Territories have completed their election with the conclusion of fifth phase.

The polling percentage was 69.50 per cent for the first phase, 69.44 in second, 68.40 in third and 65.51 in the fourth phase.

He said in the five phases of elections completed until Monday, over six crore additional votes have been cast compared to the last general election.

Four places in Rajasthan saw poll boycott due to demands concerning development but voters were later persuaded to vote.

According to an analysis done by the West Bengal Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms, 15 candidates in this phase have assets worth over Rs1 crore, while 23 have criminal cases registered against them.

The subsequent phases of polling in the state will take place on May 12 and May 19. Polling in 18 out of the 42 Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal has been completed in the first four phases.

The votes will be counted on May 23.

Violence erupted in North 24 Parganas’ Barrackpore of West Bengal earlier in the day where former Railway Minister and sitting MP Dinesh Trivedi is taking on his erstwhile “election-manager” Arjun Singh.

Singh had crossed over to the BJP in March after he was denied ticket by the Trinamool leadership.

The new BJP leader sustained minor injuries on his face after being attacked allegedly by Trinamool supporters outside a polling booth in the Aamdanga Assembly segment.

Indo-Asian News Service