Elections LIVE: At 69%, Bengal leads other states in voting percentage

Voting in 7 states for 51 seats in Phase 5 of the Lok Sabha Elections 2019 is underway. Catch LIVE updates on General elections

7:08 PM

Voting concludes for the 5th phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2019 in Jaipur

7:06 PM

BJP complains to EC against Akhilesh over children in campaign

The BJP lodged a complaint against Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday for allegedly deploying two minor boys for campaigning in Uttar Pradesh's Balrampur district.

 

In a statement, state BJP vice-president J P S Rathore said the complaint had been submitted to the state chief electoral officer that Yadav had deployed two minor boys, which on whose bodies campaign material of the SP and the Bahujan Samaj Party was written. Read more

 

6:57 PM

Pictures: Voting concludes at Hoshangabad, Madhya Pradesh

6:44 PM

Moderate to brisk polling in fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections

Till late afternoon, a voter turnout of nearly 64 per cent was recorded in West Bengal, 60 in Jharkhand, 55 in Madhya Pradesh, 51 in Rajasthan, 45 each in UP and Bihar and about 16 in J&K, according to the Election Commission.

6:42 PM

West Bengal BJP writes to Election Commission over poll related violence

6:27 PM

BJP attacks Oppn over 'TV clip showing Tej Bahadur Yadav willing to kill PM Modi for Rs 50 crore'

6:22 PM

57.86% voter turnout recorded in Bihar in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections, till 6pm (Source: ANI)

6:20 PM

Kejriwal campaigns for AAP's South Delhi candidate Raghav Chadha

6:05 PM

42% polling in Amethi till 5 pm

More than 40 per cent people had voted in Amethi till 3 pm on Monday, officials said as acrimony marked the keenly-watched election with BJP candidate Smriti Irani alleging that Congress chief Rahul Gandhi was "ensuring booth capturing".

 

According to officials, the turnout till 3 pm was 42.18 per cent in the constituency, long considered a Gandhi family turf.

6:00 PM

West Bengal records highest voter turnout in fifth phase

With voting for the fifth phase drawing to an end in the seven states, West Bengal has so far recorded a voter turnout of 69.48 per cent, highest among all states that went to poll in this phase.

 

As of 5 PM, Jharkhand has recorded a turnout of 58.07 per cent whereas 57.76 per cent people have polled their votes in Madhya Pradesh.

5:54 PM

State-wise polling figures till 4 pm

Polling percentage recorded till 4 pm: Bihar: 44.08%, Rajasthan: 50.44%, West Bengal: 63.57%, Jharkhand: 58.07%, Uttar Pradesh: 44.89%, Jammu and Kashmir: 15.51% (Source: ANI)

5:31 PM

BJP ally SBSP quits Yogi Adityanath government in UP

In the midst of Lok Sabha elections, a BJP ally on Monday claimed to have walked out of the Yogi Adityanth government.

 

Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar told reporters in Ballia that he has resigned from the Yogi Adityanath government. Read more

5:30 PM

'Frustrated' BJP trying to create fissures in SP-BSP alliance: Mayawati

BSP supremo Mayawati Monday said the "frustrated" leaders of the BJP including Prime Minister Narendra Modi were trying to create fissures in the SP-BSP alliance in Uttar Pradesh.

 

Mayawati was reacting to Modi's speech at an election rally in Pratapgarh on Saturday alleging that the Samajwadi Party was "going soft" on the Congress, as opposed to the Bahujan Samaj Party which was attacking the grand old party.

5:09 PM

Cyclone Fani: Why should I share dais with an expiry prime minister during election time, asks Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday said that she was unable to receive Prime Minister Narendra Modi's calls made to her office as she was then camping at Kharagpur to closely monitor the possible advent of Cyclone Fani in the state.

 

Prime Minister Modi has said that he had called Banerjee twice on Saturday but his calls were not returned. Read more

5:07 PM

Petrol bomb hurled at polling station in south Kashmir’s Shopian

4:58 PM

BJP demands re-polling in West Bengal's Barrackpore, alleges rigging

BJP has sought reelections in the Barrackpore constituency in West Bengal, alleging that its candidate, Arjun Singh was beaten up by "Trinamool Congress (TMC)-sponsored goons" to rig the polls. Read more

4:53 PM

4:44 PM

53.84% polling percentage recorded in Madhya Pradesh till 4pm (Source: ANI)

4:18 PM

Lok Sabha elections phase 5: Uttar Pradesh sees 45% polling till 3 pm

Over 45 per cent voter turnout was recorded Monday till 3 pm in 14 Lok Sabha seats of Uttar Pradesh where Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi are in the fray.

 

4:04 PM

Modi, a 'boxer' who punched Advani, failed to fight unemployment: Rahul

Congress President Rahul Gandhi Monday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a "boxer" who entered the ring to fight unemployment but ended up punching his "coach" and veteran BJP leader L K Advani. Read more 

3:57 PM

Mamata doing 'cheap politics' on cyclone Fani, refused to talk to me: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of pursuing "cheap politics" over cyclone Fani, claiming that she did not speak to him when he tried to contact her to talk about the calamity.

 

Modi also criticised Banerjee for not hailing the designation of Masood Azhar as a "global terrorist" by the UN as she is "afraid that it might affect her vote bank politics".

3:55 PM

Sacked BSF jawan moves SC against EC decision to cancel his candidature

Sacked BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav on Monday moved the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission's decision to cancel his candidature from the Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is contesting.

 

Yadav, who was dismissed in 2017 after he posted a video online complaining about the food served to the troops, was fielded by the Samajwadi Party as its candidate from the Varanasi seat.

3:33 PM

Election Commission relaxes Model Code of Conduct in Maharashtra, allows state govt to carry out drought relief work

3:32 PM

Pictures: Kashmiri Pandits cast their votes at a Special Polling Station

3:29 PM

26% polling in Bihar till noon

In Bihar, an estimated 26.19 per cent of over 87.66 lakh electorate exercised their franchise till noon.

 

Polling is underway in Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur, Saran and Hajipur.

 

According to a senior police officer, one person has been taken into custody in Saran for damaging an EVM.

 

The damaged EVM has been replaced with a fresh one.

 

Barring a few reports of poll boycott and EVM glitches, voting has largely been peaceful in the five seats.

3:28 PM

29.76% polling till noon in Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh saw an average 29.76 per cent polling till noon in seven Lok Sabha seats.

 

Polling was underway since 7 am in the seven constituencies - Tikamgarh, Damoh, Khajuraho, Satna, Rewa, Hoshangabad and Betul.

 

"Minor issues related to EVMs were reported at some places but they were sorted out," he added.

3:27 PM

42.7% polling recorded in 12 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan in first six hours

Rajasthan recorded a robust voter turnout of 42.7 per cent in 12 Lok Sabha seats in the first six hours.

 

The maximum voter turnout of 47.45 per cent was recorded in Ganganagar (SC) seat.

 

Churu, Jaipur, Nagaur, Alwar and Sikar registered a voter turnout of 44.75, 44.47, 43.54, 43.34 and 43.16 per cent, respectively.

 

Besides these six seats, polling is also underway amid tight security in Bikaner, Jhunjhunu, Jaipur rural, Bharatpur, Karauli-Dholpur and Dausa.

3:26 PM

35% turnout was recorded till 1 pm in 14 Lok Sabha seats in UP

In Uttar Pradesh, over 35 per cent turnout was recorded till 1 pm in 14 Lok Sabha seats where Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi are in the fray.

 

Election officials here said polling was going on smoothly, barring some complaints of EVM malfunctioning.

 

Union minister and the BJP's Amethi candidate Smriti Irani alleged that Congress president Rahul Gandhi was "ensuring booth capturing" in the constituency.

 

Irani and Gandhi are contesting against each other in the seat.

 

3:25 PM

Violence mars polling in West Bengal

In West Bengal, a scuffle broke out between Barrackpore seat's BJP candidate Arjun Singh and central forces when the former TMC MLA tried to enter a booth following allegations that voters were not being allowed to exercise their franchise there, officials said.

 

Singh was later seen chasing "fake voters" in Naihati area.

 

Sporadic incidents of violence were also reported in Bangaon, Howrah and Hoogly constituencies, with around 33.47 per cent of nearly 1.17 crore voters casting their ballots in the first four hours, officials said.

 

At a booth in Belmuri in Hooghly seat, BJP candidate Locket Chatterjee was seen threatening a polling officer. She is contesting against TMC's two-term MP Ratna De Nag.

3:22 PM

Grenade blast at polling station in Pulwama

 

In Jammu and Kashmir, polling began on a violent note with militants lobbing a grenade towards a polling station in Pulwama district, police said.

 

A grenade was lobbed towards Rohmoo polling station in Pulwama but there were no reports of any casualties in the the blast, a police official said.

 

Polling is being held in Pulwama and Shopian districts of Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency which also includes Anantnag and Kulgam districts.

 

There are 18 candidates in the fray for Anantnag constituency including PDP president and former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti.