Maharashtra is preparing for the final phase of Lok Sabha elections on May 20, with significant constituencies like Mumbai participating. The Indian Stock Market, schools, colleges, and banks will be closed. This marks the final polling process in the state, which has been conducted over five phases: April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, and May 20. Vote counting is scheduled for June 4.

Voting will take place in 13 constituencies, including the significant six seats in Mumbai. Schools, colleges, and banks will be closed in the parliamentary constituencies participating in the electoral process on Monday. Liquor shops will also be shut in key constituencies like Mumbai, Palghar, Kalyan, and Thane in Maharashtra, where the polls are scheduled.

The Election Commission of India’s directive mandates that the area where elections are held, and adjacent regions adhere to dry days to ensure a fair and peaceful voting environment. In Mumbai, bars and wine shops will reopen at 5 PM on May 20, aligning with election day. Moreover, another dry day will be observed in Mumbai on June 4 during the vote-counting process until the results are announced.

In addition, the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and National Stock Exchange (NSE) will be closed on May 20 due to voting activities. Maharashtra, with its 48 Lok Sabha seats, is the second-largest contributor to the lower house of Parliament, following Uttar Pradesh.

In this phase of the general elections, voters in a total of 49 constituencies will exercise their right to franchise to decide the fates of 695 candidates in the fray. Voting for the fifth phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections is all set to take place on May 20 across Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and 6 other states/union territories.

Voting will take place in Uttar Pradesh (14 seats), Maharashtra (13 seats), Bihar (5 seats), West Bengal (7 seats), Jharkhand (3 seats), Odisha (5 seats), Jammu and Kashmir (1 seat), and Ladakh (1 seat) in this phase. Polling across these seats is underway till 6 pm on Monday.

With this phase, voting across Maharashtra will be over. After this, voting will take place in the sixth phase on May 25. In this phase, polling will take place across 57 constituencies in 7 states.