Lok Sabha Phase 3 Polling: 61.45% Voting Till 8 PM, Assam And Goa Lead Turnout

Maharashtra recorded the lowest turnout among the states and Union Territories with 54.77 turnout, while Bihar and Gujarat recorded 56 percent each.

In the third phase of polling for the Lok Sabha polls, an approximate voter turnout of 61.45 per cent was recorded till 8 pm on Tuesday, the Election Commission said.

Assam recorded the highest turnout at 75.26 per cent, followed by Goa (74.27 percent) and West Bengal (73.93 percent).

Maharashtra recorded the lowest turnout among the states and Union Territories with 54.77 turnout, while Bihar and Gujarat recorded 56 per cent each.

The polling in the third phase was held in 93 constituencies spread over 11 states and Union Territories. Voting was completed in 189 seats out of 543 seats in the first two phases. The next four phases will be on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. The counting of votes is on June 4.

 According to the EC, the figures are an approximate trend and are likely to rise as data was being collected.

Here is a state-wise turnout in the third phase of polling:

Uttar Pradesh

An average turnout of over 57 per cent was recorded in 10 constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, as per the latest Election Commission figures. Agra witnessed 53.99 per cent polling, Aonla 57.08 per cent, Budaun 54.05 per cent, Bareilly 57.88 per cent, Etah 59.17 per cent, Fatehpur Sikri 57.09 per cent, Firozabad 58.22 per cent, Hathras 55.36 per cent, Mainpuri 58.59 per cent and Sambhal 62.81 per cent. The average turnout was 57.34 per cent, but the figure is expected to be revised later.

Madhya Pradesh

A voter turnout of 66.12 per cent was recorded in Madhya Pradesh till 6 pm on Tuesday in the third phase. A total of 127 candidates, including Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and two former chief ministers, Shivraj Singh Chouhan (BJP) and Digvijaya Singh, who belongs to Congress, were in the fray.

A turnout of 66.12 per cent was recorded till 6 pm. This figure will change after final compilation. No major incident was reported from anywhere in the nine constituencies and the polling was peaceful.

Maharashtra

A voter turnout of 54.09 per cent was recorded in 11 out of the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra. The first two phases of polling in the state saw more than 62 per cent voter turnout. As per the data shared by the election authorities, the Kolhapur seat saw the highest turnout of 63.71 per cent, while the Baramati seat, where two members of the politically influential Pawar family were locked in a bitter tussle, recorded the lowest turnout of 47.84 per cent.

West Bengal

Sporadic incidents of violence marred the third phase of polling in four constituencies in West Bengal as TMC, BJP and Congress-CPI(M) workers clashed with each other in various parts of Murshidabad and Jangipur seats. Murshidabad registered the highest voter turnout of 76.49 per cent followed by Maldaha Dakshin (73.68%), Maldaha Uttar (73.30%), and Jangipur (72.13%). The EC received 182 complaints by 9 am, most of which were from Murshidabad and Jangipur constituencies.

Karnataka

Queues were seen at polling booths in most Lok Sabha segments in northern districts of Karnataka, which saw 69 per cent polling till 6 pm. Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and Bhagwanth Khuba, and Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge were among those who came in early to cast their votes in Karnataka.