10 states, 93 constituencies: Voting underway for 3rd phase of Lok Sabha elections; over 60% turnout till 5 pm

Tuesday marks the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections, with 93 constituencies spread across 10 states and one Union Territory casting their votes. An exception to this phase is the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency in Jammu and Kashmir, where polling has been rescheduled for May 25.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi exercised his voting rights early this morning at a polling booth in Ahmedabad. Joining him were Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, all participating in this democratic process. Initial reports at 9 am indicated an average voter turnout of 10.5 percent, just two hours into polling.

By 11 am, the voter turnout climbed to 25.41 percent. At 1 pm, the voter turnout stood at 39.92 percent. At 5 pm, the turnout stood at 60.19 percent.

This phase of the Lok Sabha elections is significant as it covers more than half of the total 543 parliamentary seats, potentially hinting at a preliminary verdict.

Notably, the BJP has secured victory in the Surat seat uncontested, as the Election Commission invalidated the Congress candidate’s nomination, leading other contenders to withdraw.

The BJP’s stronghold areas are the focus of this phase of the Lok Sabha elections, with the party having claimed victory in 72 of the 92 seats up for grabs today back in 2019, including 26 in Gujarat alone.

Karnataka, traditionally another BJP stronghold, faces unpredictability amidst a major scandal involving the BJP ally Janata Dal Secular, although the BJP has distanced itself from the controversy.

Maharashtra presents an intriguing battleground, particularly in Baramati, where a familial feud between uncle Sharad Pawar and nephew Ajit Pawar intensifies. Across the states participating in this phase — Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu — voters are making their choices.

Additionally, the election in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag-Rajouri constituency was postponed due to weather concerns, impacting campaign efforts due to the closure of a crucial tunnel linking the region.

Key candidates in this phase of the Lok Sabha elections include Union Ministers Amit Shah from Gandhinagar (Gujarat), Jyotiraditya Scindia from Guna (Madhya Pradesh), Pralhad Joshi from Dharwad (Karnataka), and former Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan from Vidisha (Madhya Pradesh).

Opposition contenders feature prominently, such as Samajwadi Party’s Dimple Yadav from Mainpuri (Uttar Pradesh), Congress’s Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury from Baharampur (West Bengal), Digvijaya Singh from Rajgarh (Madhya Pradesh), and NCP’s Supriya Sule from Baramati (Maharashtra).

The next phase of elections is slated for May 13, with vote counting scheduled for June 4, after the conclusion of the seventh and final phase on June 1.