The Election Commission on Wednesday said 695 candidates are in the fray for the fifth phase of Lok Sabha polls, scheduled to be held on May 20.
In a statement, the poll panel said, “A total of 695 candidates from eight states/UTs to contest election in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha polls.”
According to the EC, a total of 1,586 nominations were filed for the 49 parliamentary constituencies (PCs) across 8 States /UTs going for polls in the fifth phase.
After the scrutiny of all nominations filed, 749 nominations were found to be valid, it said.
“In the fifth phase, Maharashtra had a maximum of 512 nomination forms from 13 parliamentary seats, followed by Uttar Pradesh with 466 nominations from 14 seats. Chatra parliamentary constituency in Jharkhand received a maximum of 69 nomination forms followed by Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh with 67 nomination forms,” the ECI said.
The poll panel said the average number of contesting candidates in a parliamentary seat for the fifth phase is 14.
In the fifth phase, polling in the 49 parliamentary constituencies will take place on May 20.
Of the 49 Lok Sabha seats, include 14 parliamentary seats from Uttar Pradesh, 13 from Maharashtra, seven from West Bengal, five each from Bihar and Odisha, three from Jharkhand, one each from Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The general election is being held in seven phases between April 19 and June 1. The first phase of polling was held on April 19, second phase on April 26 and third phase on May 7.
The results will be declared on June 4.