A representative image of a person casting vote.
Credit: PTI File Photo
The world's most populous democracy continues exercising its right to elect its government as we head into the Phase 5 of the Lok Sabha elections 2024.
Having started on April 19 and scheduled to run till June 1, Phase 5 of the 7 phases of voting will be held on May 20 for 49 constituencies across six states and two union territories. The results will be declared on June 4.
Here's all you need to know about phase 5:
Which are the states and UTs heading to polls?
A total of 6 states are participating in phase 5, which are Bihar, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
Along with them, the union territories of Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh will also participate in phase 5 of the Lok Sabha elections 2024.
Which are the constituencies heading to polls ?
1. Bihar
Hajipur
Muzaffarpur
Madhubani
Sitamarhi
Saran
2. Jammu & Kashmir
Baramulla
3. Jharkhand
Chatra
Hazaribagh
Kodarma
4. Ladakh
Ladakh constituency
5. Maharashtra
Bhiwandi
Dhule
Dindori
Kalyan
Mumbai North
Mumbai North-East
Mumbai North-West
Mumbai North-Central
Mumbai South-Central
Mumbai South
Nashik
Palghar
Thane
6. Odisha
Aska
Bargarh
Bolangir
Kandhamal
Sundargarh
7. Uttar Pradesh
Amethi
Banda
Barabanki
Faizabad
Fatehpur
Gonda
Hamirpur
Jalaun
Jhansi
Kaiserganj
Kaushambi
Lucknow
Mohanlalganj
Raebareli
8. West Bengal
Arambagh
Bangaon
Barrackpur
Hooghly
Howrah
Srerampur
Uluberia
Who are the star candidates whose fate will be decided in the fifth phase?
1. Amethi, Uttar Pradesh: BJP leader Smriti Irani looks to hold on to the former Congress bastion against Congress' Kishori Lal Sharma
2. Baramulla, Jammu & Kashmir: National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah is contesting against People's Democratic Party candidate Fayaz Ahmad Mir and People's Conference's Sajjad Gani Lone.
3. Hajipur, Bihar: Lok Janshakti Party's national president Chirag Paswan, son of late Ram Vilas Paswan, will contest against RJD's Chandra Ram.
4. Kaiserganj, Uttar Pradesh: Former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh's son will contest for BJP in Kaiserganj in what has been seen as a controversial move. He will go against Samajwadi Party's veteran Bhagat Ram.
5. Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh: BJP leader and Defence minister Rajnath Singh will face Samajwadi Party's Ravidas Mehrotra in Lucknow.
6. Mumbai North, Maharashtra: Industry Minister and BJP leader Piyush Goyal faces the task of contesting against Congress' 'bhoomi putra' Bhushan Patil.
7. Mumbai North-Central, Maharashtra: In Mumbai's north-central constituency, BJP's Ujjwal Nikam is pitted against Congress leader Varsha Gaikwad.
8. Mumbai South, Maharshtra: Shiv Sena UBT leader Arvind Sawant, who won the last two elections from the seat, takes on Yamini Jadhav, who is part of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
9. Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh: Taking over from his mother, Rahul Gandhi will contest from the Congress bastion, facing BJP leader and UP minister Dinesh Pratap Singh.
10. Saran, Bihar: RJD chief Lalu Prasad's daughter Rohini Acharya is contesting against BJP's Rajiv Pratap Rudy, who recorded resounding wins against Lalu Prasad's kin in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections.