The Phase 3 of the Lok Sabha elections recently concluded with a voter turnout of 61.16%, as per Election Commission data. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were seen exercising their voting rights in Ahmedabad during this phase, with Shah being the BJP’s candidate in the Gandhinagar constituency. The voting across 93 constituencies in 10 states witnessed relative peace, although West Bengal reported incidents of sporadic violence during the polling process.
An array of prominent leaders, including former chief ministers, ministers, and party leaders, participated in the voting during this phase. Notable figures such as former Madhya Pradesh chief ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Digvijaya Singh, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Samajwadi Party leader Dimple Yadav, and NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule were amongst those spotted casting their votes on Tuesday. Moreover, the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) lodged a complaint with the Election Commission regarding the use of passbooks from certain banks for voter identification, expressing concerns about potential fraudulent activities in voter identification.
The Election Commission of India reported a 61.16% voter turnout across 12 states and Union Territories, with Assam leading with the highest at 75.01% and Maharashtra recording the lowest at 54.09%. The participation of over 1300 candidates, including more than 120 women, added vibrancy to the electoral process in this phase. Both the ruling party and opposition members engaged actively to secure votes and continue the democratic process in the country, although instances of violence and complaints of malpractice were noted in certain areas.