20 May,2024 03:33 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Raj Thackeray/ Atul Kamble
Politicians, athletes, and prominent figures from the financial sector lined up at voting stations throughout Mumbai and Thane on Monday to vote in the fifth and final phase of Maharashtra's general elections.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, his family, and his son Shrikant Shinde, the current MP for Kalyan, cast their votes in Thane. Raj Thackeray, chairman of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, and Uddhav Thackeray, president of the Shiv Sena (UBT), as well as their families, exercised their franchise, reported PTI.
According to the report, Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora voted in South Mumbai while voting continued in 13 Lok Sabha constituencies, including six in Mumbai.
Prominent figures including Union Minister Piyush Goyal and businessman Anil Ambani voted early. The early voters included Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das, and former Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik.
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Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and his son Arjun were spotted wearing permanent ink on their fingertips, indicating their participation in the election.
Union Ministers Bharati Pawar and Kapil Patil, both sitting MPs, cast votes in Dindori and Bhiwandi, respectively. Nashik MP Hemant Godse, Thane MP Rajan Vichare, and Shiv Sena adversary Naresh Mhaske all voted, the PTI report added.
An average voter turnout of 38.77 per cent was reported until 3 pm on Monday in 13 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra as voting for the fifth and final phase of general elections began.
Among the 13 constituencies, Bhiwandi recorded 37.06 per cent polling, Dhule 39.97 per cent, Dindori 45.95 per cent, Kalyan 32.43 per cent, Mumbai North 39.33 per cent, Mumbai North Central 37.66 per cent, Mumbai North East 39.15 per cent, Mumbai North West 39.91 per cent, Mumbai South 36.64 per cent, Mumbai South Central 38.77 per cent, Nashik 39.41 per cent, Palghar 42.48 per cent, and Thane 36.07 per cent.
Voters lined up at some polling booths before 7 am, with some saying they wanted to avoid the heat later in the day and others wanting to exercise their vote before heading to work.
In Thane city, EVMs malfunctioned at a few booths in the morning, but the problem was quickly resolved, according to district election officials.
With PTI inputs
