BJD Releases Election Manifesto, Promises Special Youth Budget

Voting started at 7 am in Aska, Kandhamal, Bargarh, Bolangir and Sundergarh parliamentary constituencies along with 35 assembly segments within the jurisdiction of these Lok Sabha seats.

Officials said of the five LS seats, the highest 66.14 per cent polling was recorded in Bargarh parliamentary seat followed by Sundergarh (61.53%), Bolangir (61.35%), Kandhanmal (57.46%) and Aska (55.65%) till 5 PM.

Among the 35 assembly constituencies, Sonepur recorded 71.35 per cent polling, while the lowest polling of 47.80 per cent was recorded at Surada assembly segment in Ganjam district.

Lok Sabha and Assembly elections are being held simultaneously in Odisha.

The remaining phases of the polls will continue until June 1, with the counting of votes scheduled for June 4.

"On the day of mourning (Tuesday), the National Flag will be flown at half-mast on all buildings where the National Flag is flown regularly and there will be no official entertainment on the day," read a statement issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Raisi and Abdollahian were among nine people who died after their helicopter crashed in Iran's mountainous north-west region while they were returning from the Azerbaijan border after flagging off joint projects in the region.

(IANS)

According to the poll body, West Bengal recorded the highest voter turnout (73 per cent), followed by Ladakh (67.15 per cent), Jharkhand (61.90 per cent), Odisha (60.55 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (55.80 per cent), Jammu and Kashmir (54.21 per cent), Bihar (52.35 per cent) and Maharashtra (48.66 per cent).

Mumbai continued to disappoint with voter turnout failing to cross 50 per cent till 5 pm. Mumbai North recorded a turnout of 46.91 per cent; Mumbai North Central saw a turnout of 47.32 per cent, Mumbai North East saw a turnout of 48.67 per cent per cent, Mumbai North West recorded a turnout of 49.79 per cent. Mumbai South had the lowest turnout in the city with 44.22 per cent recorded till 5 pm. Mumbai South Central saw a turnout of 48.26 per cent.

As per the ECI, over 8.95 crore voters, including 4.69 crore males, 4.26 crore females, and 5409 third-gender electors, will decide the fate of 695 candidates in the fifth phase of voting. The fifth phase is witnessing key contests in various constituencies.

Leaders such as Rahul Gandhi, BJP leaders Rajnath Singh, Smriti Irani, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Piyush Goyal, Ujjwal Nikam, Karan Bhushan Singh, LJP (Ramvilas) chief Chirag Paswan, JKNC chief Omar Abdullah, and RJD leader Rohini Acharya are looking for electoral success.

The eight states/UTs polling in phase 5 are Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

Cities like Mumbai, Thane, and Lucknow are polling in this phase, which has in the past suffered from urban apathy in voting. Of the 49 Lok Sabha seats, 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 a bid to create a peaceful atmosphere for the electors, a total of 2,000 flying squads, 2105 static surveillance teams, 881 video surveillance teams, and 502 video viewing teams are keeping surveillance round the clock across the 94,732 polling stations.

A total of 216 international border check posts and 565 inter-state border check posts are keeping a strict vigil on any illicit flow of liquor, drugs, cash, and freebies. Strict surveillance has been kept on sea and air routes, the ECI said.

(ANI)