NEW DELHI:
Voting
for the
third phase
of the ongoing
general elections
is under way in 93
Lok Sabha constituencies
. The polling is happening across 12 states and Union territories, where over 1,300 candidates, including around 120 women, are in the fray.
In the third phase, there are a total of 17.24 crore
eligible voters
, who would cast their votes at 1.85 lakh
polling stations
.
The Election Commission has said that 75 delegates from 23 countries will see the poll process on Tuesday.
The states and union territories where the elections are being held for the third phase are Gujarat (25 seats), Maharashtra (11), Uttar Pradesh (10), Karnataka (14), Madhya Pradesh (8), Chhattisgarh (7), West Bengal (4), Bihar (5), Assam (4), Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (2) and Goa (2).
Notably, in Gujarat, which has 26
Lok Sabha
constituencies, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won the Surat Lok Sabha constituency unopposed.
Highest voter turnout in West Bengal, Maharashtra logs lowest
Voter turnout was recorded at 14.60 per cent till 9:00 am in West Bengal, while Maharashtra recorded only 6.64 per cent polling. Madhya Pradesh is also witnessing a high voter turnout of 14.22 per cent.
Voting percentages for other states till 9 am are– Assam (10.12 per cent), Bihar (10.03), Chhattisgarh (13.24), Goa (12.35), Gujarat (9.87), Karnataka (9.45), and Uttar Pradesh (12.13).
Union territory Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu recorded 10.13 per cent voter turnout till 9 am.
PM Modi casts vote in Gujarat’s Ahmedabad
Prime Minister Narendra Modi cast his vote early morning in Ahmedabad’s Nishan Higher Secondary School. Ahmedabad falls under the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency from where Union home minister Amit Shah is seeking his second parliamentary term.
The Prime Minister also urged the eligible voters to vote in ‘record numbers’, saying “their active participation will certainly make the elections more vibrant.
Violence reported in West Bengal
After bombs were allegedly hurled at the house of a local Congress leader, tension surfaced in Domkal at Murshidabad even before the polling began. Incidents of violence were reported in certain pockets of the Murshidabad district.
Following the tensions, the quick response team of the Central Armed Police Forces personnel reached the spot and brought the situation under control.
Soon after the polling began tension flared up at Raninagar, also in Murshidabad district, where a CPM booth agent was forcefully thrown out of an election booth. CMP’s Murshidabad candidate alleged that they were issued threats hours before the polling. The BJP’s Malda candidate Dakshin Sreerupa Mitra Chaudhury also raised similar allegations.
Key candidates cast their votes
Union home minister Amit Shah cast his vote in Ahmedabad, Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, along with his wife Sunetra Pawar, cast his vote in Baramati. Sunetra Pawar is contesting against incumbent Baramati MP Supriya Sule, who also happens to be Sharad Pawar’s daughter.
Ex-Karanatak CM BS Yediyurappa, along with his sons BY Vijayendra, voted at a polling booth in Shivamogga. Former Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who is contesting Lok Sabha polls from Vidisha seat, voted along with his family.
