The fifth phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections concluded on Monday with an overall voter turnout of 57.75%. The turnout varied significantly across states, with West Bengal recording the highest at 73% and Maharashtra the lowest at 48.88%.
Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from West Bengal, primarily involving clashes between supporters of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Election Commission (EC) received 1,036 complaints from various political parties, including allegations of malfunctioning EVMs and obstruction of agents at polling booths.
Notably, the BJP had won 32 of the 49 seats that went to polls in this phase during the 2019 elections, with the Congress winning only Rae Bareli. In this phase, the BJP contested 40 seats, while the Congress limited itself to 18, leaving the remaining seats to its allies.
The fifth phase marks the conclusion of polling in Maharashtra, where all 48 seats have now voted. The remaining phases of the elections will be held on May 25 and June 1, with vote counting scheduled for June 4.
