Voting began in 51 parliamentary constituencies across 7 states constituting 14 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 12 in Rajasthan, seven seats each in West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh, five in Bihar and four in Jharkhand in the fifth and the smallest but the power-packed phase of the 2019 general elections. In Jammu and Kashmir, polling is taking place in Ladakh constituency, Pulwama and Shopian districts of Anantnag seat. Voting for the fifth round of the national election began with reports of violence from West Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir and EVM glitches from several states on Monday in the first few hours of voting in.
62.5 Per Cent Voting In Phase 5, Violence In Bengal, Kashmir
Polling was delayed in several booths in West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan after EVMs developed technical glitch in several parliamentary constituencies. In West Bengal, Howrah and Uluberia booths reported glitches in EVMs and VVPATs.
Polling in two of the four polling booths in Sarsawan under Mohanlalganj constituency of Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow was also delayed because of a technical glitch in EVM. Two EVMs also reported, to have developed a snag at Mehmoodpur polling station of Kaushambi.
Jammu & Kashmir: Police informed that suspected militants threw a grenade at Rohmoo polling station in Pulwama district where polling is underway for the Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency. This was the first militant attack on a polling station in this Lok Sabha election in Jammu and Kashmir.
West Bengal: In Barrackpore parliamentary constituency BJP candidate Arjun Singh alleged he was “attacked by goondas” of the Trinamool Congress. Television news channels showed Singh scuffling even as the BJP leader’s personal security guards tried to intervene. He was also shown fighting with a policeman. The incident happened in Mohanpur, about 29km to the north of state capital Kolkata.
Despite Violence in Kashmir & West Bengal, India Registers Over 62% Polling in Phase 5
Singh said, “I was attacked by TMC goons while I was escorting some men (BJP supporters) who were being prevented from casting their votes.”
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.
