Delhi: On Monday, voters from 49 Lok Sabha seats in eight states and union territories across India began heading to their respective polling stations to exercise their right to vote in the fifth phase of the general elections.
These seats include a diverse range of regions, from Ladakh to Odisha, and from bustling Mumbai and its surrounding areas to UP’s Awadh and Bundelkhand. Among the 695 candidates in the fray are prominent leaders such as Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Piyush Goyal, and Smriti Irani, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and National Conference’s Omar Abdullah.
In addition to the Lok Sabha seats, voting will also take place for 35 seats in the Odisha Assembly. The Election Commission has deployed over 9 lakh polling officials to ensure a smooth voting process for around 9 crore eligible voters. The Commission has also advised state authorities to take necessary measures to manage hot weather conditions in certain areas.
Despite having the least number of seats in all the phases, the fifth phase is significant as it includes high-profile constituencies with top leaders from national and regional parties contesting for a seat in Parliament. Some of these prominent leaders include Shiv Sena’s Shrikant Shinde, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s daughter Rohini Acharya, and Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas chief Chirag Paswan.
