A voter turnout of over 63 per cent was recorded in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections in 93 constituencies across 11 states and Union Territories on Tuesday, with isolated incidents of violence in West Bengal.
Assam recorded the highest voter turnout at 77.06 percent, followed by Goa at 75.13 percent and West Bengal at 73.96 percent, while Uttar Pradesh witnessed the highest turnout. lowest turnout at 57.34 percent, Bihar at 58.16 percent, Gujarat at 57.62 percent and Maharashtra at 61.44 percent fared slightly better, according to Election Commission figures at 10:40 p.m.
The overall voting percentage was 63.53 percent. According to the EC, the figures are an “approximate trend” and are likely to increase as data is collected.
Among other states and UTs, Chhattisgarh recorded 70.05 percent polling, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu 68.89 percent, Karnataka 69.65 percent and Madhya Pradesh 66.05 percent, according to the EC.
At least 17.24 crore people, including 8.39 crore women, were eligible to vote in the third phase and 1.85 lakh polling stations manned by 18.5 lakh officials had been established.
With this, voting was completed in 20 States/UTs and 282 out of 543 Lok Sabha seats.
The overall voting percentage in the first and second phases was 66.14 percent and 66.71 percent, respectively.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were among those who exercised their franchise in Gujarat, where elections were held for 25 seats. While Prime Minister Modi cast his vote at a polling booth in Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency, Shah cast his vote at a polling booth in Ahmedabad.
Shah (Gandhinagar) is among the bigwigs in the fray along with Union ministers Jyotiraditya Scindia (Guna), Mansukh Mandaviya (Porbandar), Parshottam Rupala (Rajkot), Pralhad Joshi (Dharwad) and SP Singh Baghel (Agra).
Text: PTI.
Video: ANI