The voting for the third phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 concluded at 6 PM on Tuesday (May 7), with over 60.19 per cent voter turnout recorded till 5:00 PM, as per the data available from the Election Commission of India (ECI). Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, NCP leader Ajit Pawar, NCP-SP leaders Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule, and Samajwadi Party leaders Akhilesh and Dimple Yadav are among the top named who have cast their vote today.
Voting in 93 constituencies across 11 states and union territories was held in the third phase with a total of 1,351 candidates in the fray.
Polling in a single phase was conducted across Gujarat, Goa, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu. Voting for four seats in Assam, eight in Madhya Pradesh, four in West Bengal, seven in Chhattisgarh, eleven in Maharashtra, ten in Uttar Pradesh, five in Bihar, and fourteen in Karnataka were also held on Tuesday.
A look at the top leaders whose fate has been locked in today:
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah (Gandhinagar, Gujarat)
- Nationalist Congress Party (SCP) leader Supriya Sule (Baramati, Maharashtra)
- Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh)
- Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia (Guna, Madhya Pradesh)
- Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi (Dharwad, Karnataka)
- Former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai (Haveri, Karnataka)
- Samajwadi Party leader Dimple Yadav (Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh)
- Congress leader Digvijaya Singh (Rajgarh, Madhya Pradesh)
- As the polling for the third phase was underway, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, in a video statement, said, "Today, in every corner of the country, youth are facing unemployment, women are facing atrocities, Dalits, tribals, backward classes, and minorities are facing terrible discrimination."
"This atmosphere is due to the intentions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. Their focus is only on gaining power at any cost. They have promoted hatred for political gain. The Congress Party and I have always fought for the progress of all, justice for the deprived and to strengthen the country...The Congress and INDIA alliance is dedicated to protecting the Constitution and democracy. Vote for Congress for a bright future for all and together let us build a strong and united India," she added. Click here to read more.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi cast his vote in his home state Gujarat. He exercised his franchise in a polling booth located on the premises of Nishan Higher Secondary School in the Ranip area. Tight security was placed outside the polling booth where PM Modi cast his vote.