The Aryavarth Express
Agency (New Delhi): The third phase of the Lok Sabha elections saw a voter turnout of nearly 65 percent on Tuesday across 93 constituencies in 11 states and Union Territories. There were some incidents of violence in West Bengal. According to the Election Commission, Assam recorded the highest turnout at 81.71 percent, followed by West Bengal at 76.52 percent and Goa at 75.20 percent. Uttar Pradesh had the lowest turnout at 57.34 percent.
Bihar recorded a turnout of 58.18 percent, Gujarat 59.51 percent, and Maharashtra 61.44 percent. The overall voting percentage was 64.58 percent, with the Election Commission noting that these figures are approximate and expected to rise as more data is collected.
Voting officially ended at 6 PM, but continued for those in line before the deadline. Among other states and UTs, Chhattisgarh saw 71.06 percent turnout, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu 69.87 percent, Karnataka 70.41 percent, and Madhya Pradesh 66.05 percent.
A total of 17.24 crore people, including 8.39 crore females, were eligible to vote in this phase, with 1.85 lakh polling stations manned by 18.5 lakh officials. With this phase, voting has been completed in 20 states/UTs covering 282 out of 543 Lok Sabha seats.
In the first and second phases, the overall voting percentages were 66.14 percent and 66.71 percent, respectively.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were among those who voted in Gujarat, where elections were held for 25 seats. Modi cast his vote in Gandhinagar, and Shah in Ahmedabad.
This round was crucial for the BJP, as it had secured a majority of these seats in the last election, including all seats in Gujarat, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh. Both BJP and the opposition INDIA bloc claimed they had the upper hand after this phase.
“Across all states and UTs, voters have placed their faith in the NDA and our development agenda. The INDI Alliance is losing steam due to their outdated politics,” Modi said on X (formerly Twitter).
Congress, however, claimed the BJP has been significantly weakened. “It’s clear that for the BJP, it is ‘South mein Saaf, North mein Half,'” Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh posted on X.
In Uttar Pradesh, where several members of Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav’s family are contesting, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that BJP workers were attempting to “loot booths” in Mainpuri. Yadav cast his vote in Saifai (Etawah) in Mainpuri constituency, where his wife and sitting MP Dimple Yadav is contesting.
West Bengal witnessed sporadic violence in the Murshidabad and Jangipur constituencies, with TMC, BJP, and Congress-CPI(M) workers clashing. Murshidabad recorded the highest turnout in the state at 80.13 percent.
The EC received 182 complaints by 9 AM, mostly from Murshidabad and Jangipur. Left-Congress candidate Mohammed Salim accused the TMC of voter intimidation.
In Uttar Pradesh, turnout varied across constituencies: Agra 53.99 percent, Aonla 57.08 percent, Budaun 54.05 percent, Bareilly 57.88 percent, Etah 59.17 percent, Fatehpur Sikri 57.09 percent, Firozabad 58.22 percent, Hathras 55.36 percent, Mainpuri 58.59 percent, and Sambhal 62.81 percent. Some areas saw voters boycotting polls to protest unmet demands.
Karnataka saw queues at polling stations, with Union Ministers Pralhad Joshi and Bhagwanth Khuba among early voters. Two government officials on poll duty died from heart attacks. In Gujarat, the Banaskantha district collector ordered an inquiry after allegations of voter intimidation.
In Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and NCP candidate Sunetra Pawar were among those who voted. In Assam, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma voted amid rains, with people using various modes of transport to reach polling stations.
This phase included 25 seats in Gujarat, 11 in Maharashtra, 10 in Uttar Pradesh, 14 in Karnataka, seven in Chhattisgarh, five in Bihar, four each in Assam and West Bengal, two in Goa, two in Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and nine in Madhya Pradesh. Over 1,331 candidates, including around 120 women, contested in this phase. The next phases of voting are scheduled for May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1, with counting on June 4.
