Lok Sabha elections fifth phase: 36.73 per cent voter turnout till 1 pm

An overall voter turnout of 36.73 per cent was recorded till 1 pm, during the fifth phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections which is currently underway in 49 constituencies.

Ladakh has reported the highest turnout at 52.02 per cent, followed by Bengal at 48.41 per cent and Jharkhand at 41.89 per cent. 

Meanwhile, Maharashtra recorded the lowest turnout so far at 27.78 per cent.

The polls are being held across six states and two Union Territories. 

The focus in this phase is primarily on Congress bastions Amethi and Raebareli where Rahul Gandhi and Smriti Irani are in high-profile contests. While Rahul Gandhi is up against BJP's Dinesh Pratap Singh from Raebareli, Irani is fighting against Congress loyalist Kishori Lal Sharma.

This election round is crucial as it will determine the electoral fate of many leaders including former Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani, and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. 695 candidates, including 82 women, are in the fray for the 49 seats going to the polls.

More than 8.95 crore people, including 4.26 crore females and 5,409 third-gender electors, are eligible to vote in this round. 9.47 lakh polling officials have been deployed across 94,732 polling stations across the country.