EC calls upon city dwellers to turn out in higher numbers for phase 5 of LS polls

New Delhi, May 19 (PTI) On the eve of phase five of Lok Sabha polls, the Election Commission on Sunday pointed out that Mumbai, Thane and Lucknow have shown apathy towards voting in the past and asked these city dwellers to turnout in higher numbers.

The poll authority noted that in the past these cities have "suffered" from urban apathy in voting.

"The Commission specially calls upon these city dwellers to erase the stigma by turning out in higher numbers," it said.

On May 3 too, while referring to voter turnout in phase two, the Commission had said it was "disappointed" with the turnout level in some metropolitan cities.

The EC had last month assembled many metro Commissioners here to work out a strategy to fight urban apathy.

Urban and youth apathy is described as a phenomenon when young voters and those living in metros fail to turn up at polling stations on election day.

So far, the last four phases have registered a voter turnout of 66.95 per cent.

Around 45.1 crore electors have exercised their franchise in the last four phases. As in February this year, the total number of voters stood at around 97 crore.

Polling for 23 states and union territories, and 379 seats has been completed so far.

The EC said 49 seats in eight states and union territories, including Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal will go for polls in phase five on Monday.

Besides Lok Sabha, 35 assembly constituencies in Odisha will also go to polls on Monday.

Around 9.47 lakh polling officials have been deployed across 94,732 polling stations.

Over 8.95 crore people, include 4.69 crore male; 4.26 crore female and 5409 third gender electors are eligible to vote. PTI