Grenade Attack On Poll Booth In Kashmir, Violence In Bengal

51 seats across seven states voting in fifth phase of national election
Rahul Gandhi seeking fourth term in Amethi, Smriti Irani is BJP candidate
Pulwama is voting in the third round of polling in J&K’s Anantnag seat
Voting for the fifth round of the national election began with reports of violence from West Bengal and Jammu and Kashmir.

The BJP candidate in Bengal’s Barrackpore alleged that he was attacked by Trinamool Congress workers this morning.

A grenade was thrown at a polling booth in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama. No one was injured in the attack. A number of high-profile candidates, including Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, his mother Sonia Gandhi, Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Rajyavardhan Rathore are up for election in the fifth of the seven phases of the Lok Sabha election today.

With only 51 seats across seven states where voting is being held, this is the leanest phase of the election. But it will be crucial for the BJP, which won 40 of the seats in 2014 and is under pressure to do better. With this round, election will be over in 424 seats, polling in the remaining 118 seats will be held on May 12 and 19.

Counting of votes will be held on May 23.