The fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections on May 20 saw polling across 49 parliamentary constituencies in six states and two Union Territories (UTs). As of 9 am, the overall voter turnout stood at 6.33%, with many polling booths in Mumbai experiencing low turnout.
Despite this, notable figures such as Union Minister Piyush Goyal, industrialist Anil Ambani, and actor Akshay Kumar were among the early voters. The turnout percentages in Mumbai constituencies were as follows: Mumbai North recorded 6.19%, Mumbai North-West 6.87%, Mumbai North-East 6.83%, Mumbai North-Central 6.01%, Mumbai South-Central 7.79%, and Mumbai South 5.34%.
Other constituencies in Maharashtra participating in this phase included Dhule, Dindori, Nashik, Kalyan, Palghar, Bhiwandi, and Thane. Across all 49 parliamentary constituencies, the Election Commission (ECI) reported a voter turnout of 10.28% by 9 am.
Bihar saw an 8.86% voter turnout, Jammu and Kashmir 7.63%, Jharkhand 11.68%, Ladakh 10.51%, Maharashtra 6.33%, Odisha 6.87%, and West Bengal 15.35%, according to the ECI. In Odisha, where Legislative Assembly polls are also being held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha elections, a 6.99% voter turnout was recorded till 9 am in the second and final phase of elections.
In the Gandey Assembly constituency in Jharkhand, which is undergoing by-elections, a voter turnout of 10.37% was recorded till 9 am. Similarly, in the Assembly by-election for the Lucknow East constituency in Uttar Pradesh, the turnout was 10.88%.
The ECI noted that over 8.95 crore voters, including 4.69 crore males, 4.26 crore females, and 5,409 third-gender electors, will determine the fate of 695 candidates in this fifth phase of voting.
