The fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections concluded on May 20, marking another crucial juncture in India’s electoral journey but with an overall turnout of just 59 per cent. The first four phases – April 19, April 26, May 7 and May 13 – saw a voter turnout of 66.1 per cent, 66.7 per cent, 61 per cent and 67.3 per cent respectively. While the fifth phase has the least number of seats in all the phases, most of these are high-profile seats from where top Union ministers and leaders of national and regional parties are contesting. These include all six seats of Mumbai, as well as Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow, Amethi, and Raebareli, and Bihar’s Hajipur and Saran.
The fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections is poised to be a critical juncture, as voting were for 49 constituencies spanning six states and two union territories (UTs). Of these, 14 are from Uttar Pradesh, 13 from Maharashtra, 7 from West Bengal, 5 from Bihar, 3 from Jharkhand, 5 from Odisha, and one each from Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. In the last Lok Sabha elections held in 2019, Congress, along with parties now affiliated then with the United Progressive Alliance, won eight of the 49 seats in these seats. Moreover, the BJP and parties affiliated with the NDA won 39 of the seats in 2019.
The fifth phase of election holds particular significance due to the high-profile nature of several key constituencies, such as Raebareli, Amethi, and Lucknow, where the political futures of prominent leaders will be determined. The constituencies in focus are not just any seats but are historically and politically significant, often drawing intense media attention and public interest. In this phase, voters from a diverse array of regions exercised their franchise, reflecting the varied political landscape of the country.
With the fifth phase completed, Maharashtra and Ladakh will join the states and union territories where the polling process has concluded. The next and penultimate phase, comprising 58 seats, is slated to be held on May 25, with Haryana and Delhi joining in for a single-phase polling. The seventh and final phase will begin on June 1. The decline in voting has been a cause of concern in recent weeks and political parties have been working to bring a shift in the numbers. It must be noted that low turnout affected all political parties and there are various factors for that.
The Lok Sabha election since the first phase till today has seen a diversion by political parties from issues affecting the common man especially unemployment and inflation. Unemployment has emerged as a key issue. A pre-poll survey by the New Delhi-based Lokniti-Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) found that rising unemployment was foremost on the minds of voters. According to the New Delhi-based Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy, India’s unemployment rate stood at 7.6 per cent in March 2024.
