The third phase of Lok Sabha elections will see polling in 116 seats across 15 states and Union Territories. Besides all seats in Gujarat (26), Goa (2) and Kerala (20), voting will be held in four seats in Assam, five in Bihar, seven in Chhattisgarh, 14 each in Karnataka and Maharashtra, six in Odisha, 10 in Uttar Pradesh, five in West Bengal, and one each in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and Tripura.
Among the well-known candidates in the fray in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections are BJP chief Amit Shah, who replaced LK Advani as the party nominee from Gandhinagar, and Congress president Rahul Gandhi, who will be contesting for the first time from Wayanad.
Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs Jaswantsinh Bhabhor is the BJP nominee from Gujarat’s Dahod seat. Union minister Alphons Kannamthanam is seeking to make his Lok Sabha debut from Ernakulam while sitting Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has been pitted against former governor Kummanam Rajasekharan of BJP in Thiruvananthapuram.
Also Read | Gandhi family targets BJP at its twin bastions
The stakes are high for the ruling BJP and its allies as they bagged 66 seats out of these 116 spread across 14 states and Union Territories in 2014 general election, while the Congress and its alliance partners won 27, and the rest went to other opposition parties and Independents.
About 18.56 crore voters are eligible for voting in this phase and the Election Commission has set up 2.10 lakh polling booths/stations and has made elaborate security arrangements.
In the first two phases, election was held to 91 and 96 seats on April 11 and April 18 respectively. Elections are being held in seven phases and with the completion of third phase, the election process will be completed in southern states.
Narendra Modi will file his nomination from Kashi (Varanasi) on April 26 and will participate in a roadshow a day earlier to his nomination, Amit Shah confirmed.
Shah further said Sukhbir Singh Badal, Nitish Kumar, Uddhav Thackeray and other NDA leaders will be present during Modi's nomination filing.
monthly limit of free stories.
with an Express account.
Further speaking on a case registered against him, Shah said, "A fake case was registered against me in which court has delivered its judgement. The gist of the judgement is it was a politically motivated case & there is no evidence in this case. I don't want to comment much on Rahul Gandhi's legal knowledge."
On Priyanka Gandhi's possibility to contest from Varanasi, Shah said Congress is confused. "There is democracy in the country, anyone can contest. Congress is in confusion, not us. Our candidate has been declared, Narendra Modi will contest election from here."
Kashmiri Pandits protested outside a special polling station in Jammu as some found their names missing on the voter list in Anantnag Lok Sabha seat.
However, Assistant Returning Officer Pankaj Anand said the election office has ensured that no voter, who has filled the M-form, is left out of the voter list. Over 4,000 electorates including 1,826 women have cast their vote in Jammu.
Around 68.25 per cent voting in Chhattisgarh was recorded at 7 pm
Out of 65 polling booths in Anantnag, 40 booths located in Bijbehara assembly recorded zero votes were cast, PTI reported. It is the home turf of former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti.
People cast their votes in 714 polling stations in Anantnag. Bijbehara, the home constituency of PDP president Mufti, had 120 polling booths set up for a population of 93,289 people, however, a total of 1,893 electorates or 2 per cent exercised their franchise when the polling ended at 4 pm.
Gujarat recorded an estimated 62.36 per cent voting across the 26 Lok Sabha seats in the state, PTI quoted the Chief Electoral Officer.
BJP releases 26th list of candidates for three Lok Sabha Elections 2019 seats in Chandigarh and Punjab. Sunny Deol to contest from Gurdaspur, Som Prakash from Hoshiarpur, and Kirron Kher from Chandigarh.
The third phase of polling held peacefully in Uttar Pradesh. UP records 60.52 per cent turnout in the third phase of polling for 10 seats: Chief Electoral Officer Venkateshwar
As the third phase of polling came to an end, the overall voter turnout was recorded as 64.66 per cent across 15 states and union territories.
Assam - 78.29% , Bihar - 59.97% , Goa - 71.09% , Gujarat - 60.21%, Jammu & Kashmir - 12.86%, Karnataka - 64.14%, Kerala - 70.21%, Maharashtra - 56.57%, Odisha - 58.18%, Tripura - 78.52%, Utar Pradesh - 57.74%, West Bengal - 79.36, Chhattisgarh - 65.91%, Dadra & Nagar Haveli - 71.43% and Daman & Diu - 65.34%.
"Murder accused BJP President Amit Shah....waah! kya shaan hai....Have you heard Jay Shah's name? He is a magician, he made Rs 50,000 into Rs 80 crore in 3 months," Rahul Gandhi said at Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh.
Four candidates filed their nomination for the Kangra, Himachal Pradesh seat, PTI quoted an electoral official as saying. Subhash Sharma of Himachal Jan Kranti Party, Prem Chand Vishwakarma of the Nav Bharat Ekta Dal, Bahujan Samaj Party's Kehar Singh and Swabhiman Party's Sawroop Singh Rana filed their nominations before the District Election Officer cum Deputy Commissioner Kangra Sandeep Kumar.
A fortnight ahead of elections in Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, Congress leader Thukjey Dolma joined BJP, PTI quoted a party spokesperson said.
Dolma, a prominent social worker and active member of the Congress, hails from Kardong area of Nobra valley. He joined the BJP in presence of state party president Ravinder Raina who is camping in Ladakh for election campaigning, he said.
Welcoming Dolma in the party, Raina said the Congress did "severe injustice" with the people of Ladakh over the years.
Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda and leader of newly floated Jannayak Janata Party Digvijay Chautala filed their nominations from Sonipat seat, PTI reported. As per the affidavit filed before the returning officer by Hooda, the total value of his moveable assets that includes cash in hand, bank deposits, investments in gold jewellery is over Rs two crore.
Musician Hans Raj filed his nomination from North West Delhi constituency as a BJP candidate and said, "I have been a warrior since my childhood, I have to win. I am a son of a farm labourer, it is in my genes to work hard. I consider PM Modi as my hero."
Kerala recorded a voter turnout of 73 per cent till 6 pm, whereas Chhattisgarh recorded an overall turnout of 64.68 per cent and Kutch Parliamentary constituency recorded a turnout of 51.08 per cent till 5 pm
Goa recorded an overall turnout of 70 per cent with North Goa witnessing 72.97 per cent and South Goa saw 68.90 per cent.
The Assembly bypolls including Mandrem, Mapusa and Shiroda recorded 75.99 per cent, 75.17 per cent and 75.72 per cent respectively.
Estimated voter turnout till now for the third phase is 61.31 per cent. Voting for 116 parliamentary constituencies across 13 states and 2 union territories is being held today.
Around 54.14 per cent voter turnout was recorded at Jamnagar Parliamentary constituency in Gujarat till 5 pm, while Rajkot has recorded a turnout of 57 per cent. Another hour of polling to go.
Polling centres along the coastal belt of Thiruvananthapuram and Attingal constituencies flooded with voters, as polling enters last 30 minutes for Lok Sabha elections 2019. Closing time to be extended, voting expected to continue till 7.30 pm at these booths.
Thiruvananthapuram DEO K Vasuki guarantees a chance to vote for all voters standing in queues at polling centres at 6 pm. Tokens will be distributed, proceedings will end only after voting is complete.
UDF candidate Shashi Tharoor continues to inspect polling booths in and around the city. (Source: Govt. HS, Balaramapuram)
A polling booth in Gir Forest, Gujarat has been set up for one voter in Junagadh.
Voter Bharatdas Bapu says, “Govt spends money for this polling booth for 1 vote. I've voted and it's 100 per cent voter turnout here. For 100 per cent voter turnout everywhere, I request all to goa and vote.”
Addressing a rally in Asansol, PM Modi mounted a double-barreled attack on TMC and Congress. "Had the post of prime minister been up for auction both Didi (Mamata Banerjee) and the Congress would have come up with the money looted by them to buy it," PM Modi said. Meanwhile, a showcause notice has been issued by the District Election Officer to Congress candidate from Raigarh constituency Laljeet Singh Rathiya for allegedly making objectionable statement against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Chhattisgarh recorded a turnout of 55.29 per cent till 3 pm.
"Today TMC's condition has become such that people are not turning up for their rallies, they are forced to call actors from abroad. I feel pity for you didi, look what the brave people of Bengal have done to you," Modi said in Asansol.
A man who was killed in Bengal violence clash between Congress and TMC workers was hacked to death outside the polling booth at Ranitala in Murshidabad Lok Sabha constituency, police confirmed. The Election Commission has sought a report on the same.
Read more | Lok Sabha elections: One killed in Bengal, poll official thrashed in UP
On the other hand, Mamata Banerjee alleged that Central forces were asking voters to cast their franchise for the BJP. “I have got information that the central forces are sitting inside booths in Englishbazar in Malda Dakshin and asking voters to vote for the BJP. They do not have the right to do such a thing. We have informed the Election Commission about our reservations regarding this,” PTI quoted Mamata as saying.
"Corruption and crime are non stop in Bengal under TMC regime. When the CM of a state stands in favour of those who are involved scams, it's the people which suffers," Modi said.
On his election campaign trail in West Bengal, Modi took a dig at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and said the CM abusing Modi is a reflection of her frustration in the face of imminent defeat. "Didi (Mamata Banerjee) abusing Modi and getting angry with EC is a reflection of her frustration in the face of imminent defeat," Modi said while addressing a rally in Asansol, Bengal.
"Before 2014, Congress govt had made a record of corruption. Today TMC government is giving tough competition to the Congress. Corruption & crime are non-stop in TMC rule. And 'Speed-breaker Didi' is also there," Modi said.
Congress announces Ranvir Sharma as the candidate for the Agra North constituency by-election.
Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel said Priyanka Gandhi will "definitely" contest election from Varanasi if the party asks her. "Party will soon take a decision on it. Congress President will decide after consulting others," Patel said.
Goa recorded an overall voter turnout of 57.63 per cent till now with North Goa witnessing 58.31 per cent and South Goa with 56.93 per cent. Constituencies including Mapusa, Shiroda and Mandrem have recorded 56.28 per cent, 61.39 per cent and 64.91 per cent respectively.
An estimated voter turnout till now for the third phase is 51.15 per cent. Voting for 116 parliamentary constituencies across 13 states and two union territories is being held today.
A 46-year-old tribal woman collapsed while standing in a queue to cast her vote in Raigarh Lok Sabha constituency in Chhattisgarh and later died at a hospital, police said.
Waiting for her turn to cast voter at polling booth number 3in police line area in the Raigarh district headquarter, Anjela Toppo collapsed today, PTI quoted Raigarh Additional Superintendent of Police Abhishek Verma.
"Her family members said she was unwell for quite some time which could be the reason for her death," the police officer said as PTI reported.
The police further said the exact cause of death is yet to be ascertained.
Around 49.58 per cent polling recorded at Rajkot Parliamentary seat in Gujarat till 3 pm. Tankara Assembly seat, the home stretch of Congress candidate Lalit Kagathara is leading all the seven Assembly segments in Rajkot Parliamentary constituency with around 54 per cent turnout, Indian Express reported.
Constituencies around Maharashtra including, Pune recorded a turnout of 33 per cent till 3 pm, while Baramati recorded 41 per cent, Kolhapur 51.15 per cent and Hatkanagle 51.41 per cent.
A polling agent Babulal Murmu was found dead at his house in Buniadpur, Dakshin Dinajpur, ANI reported.
East Tripura recorded a voter turnout of 67.08 per cent till 3 pm.
A polling official at booth number 41 in Kantapal village in Dhenkanal, Odisha passes away, after collapsing while on duty.
Kerala recorded a voter turnout of 56.78 per cent till 3 pm. Kannur recorded the highest turnout of 56.71 per cent, while Kozhikode recorded the lowest at 43.54 per cent.
Thiruvananthapuram recorded a 55 per cent turnout, Pathanamthitta witnessed a 55.3 per cent turnout and Ernakulam 50.58 per cent.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor personally inspected polling booths and reported EVM malfunctioning in Kerala. He visited three places including Vellarada, Chenkal and Chappath. "No prima facie sign of mischief: 1 button jammed; 1 control unit flashed “invalid”; 1 didn’t work at all. But the delays caused by such glitches have inconvenienced voters," Tharoor wrote on Twitter.
(Source: Twitter/Shashi Tharoor)
A man standing in a queue to vote was killed in clashes between Congress and TMC workers in Baligram, Murshidabad, West Bengal, ANI reported.
Goa recorded a voter turnout of 46 per cent till 1 pm for two constituencies and bypolls to three Assembly seats, PTI reported. EVMs malfunctioning in some booths was recorded and the faulty machines were replaced. North Goa recorded 46.26 turnout while a 43.97 was recorded in South Goa, as per official figures quoted by PTI.
In the by-elections in three Assembly seats, Mandrem so far recorded 45.95 per cent voter turnout, Shiroda-45.86 per cent and Mapusa -47.19 per cent.