Lok Sabha Election 2024 Phase 3 Voting HIGHLIGHTS: Congress 'hopeful' of voter turnout data without delay this time

Congress on Tuesday hoped the Election Commission would come out with the final voter turnout for the third phase of Lok Sabha elections "without any delay".

"Hopefully, the Election Commission of India will publish, without delay, the final voter turnout figures for Phase III – unlike for Phase I, which took 11 days, and Phase II, which took 4 days.

"We hope that it is in the same format as it has been in previous years - with the breakup of the number of votes and number of registered voters, by assembly constituency and for each Lok Sabha," AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X.

Preparations are underway in UP's Varanasi, PM Modi's parliamentary constituency, where he is scheduled to hold a mega roadshow on May 13. The Varanasi Lok Sabha management committee held a meeting to discuss the route and arrangements for the roadshow.

The Prime Minister will commence the roadshow by garlanding the statue of Madan Mohan Malviya in Lanka. Afterward, the roadshow will proceed through Assi, Sonarpura, Jangambari, Godowlia, and end at the Vishwanath Corridor.

(With inputs from Shilpi Sen.)

With the conclusion of the third phase of Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed that the opposition alliance is losing momentum, attributing it to their outdated votebank politics and regressive economic policies.

"Gratitude to all those who have voted today. Across all the states and UTs, voters from all walks of life have placed their faith in the NDA and our development agenda," PM Modi posted on X. 

"INDI Alliance is losing even more steam, thanks to their regressive economics and outdated votebank politics," he added.

A voter turnout of 61.55 per cent was recorded on Tuesday in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections in 93 constituencies spread over 11 states and Union Territories with stray incidents of violence in West Bengal.

Assam recorded the highest turnout at 75.30 per cent followed by Goa at 74.32 per cent and West Bengal at 73.93 per cent, while Maharashtra witnessed the lowest at 54.98 per cent, with Bihar and Gujarat doing slightly better at 56.83 per cent, according to the figures from the Election Commission at 8 pm.

Among other states, Uttar Pradesh recorded 57.34 per cent polling, Chhattisgarh 67.07 per cent, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu 65.23 per cent, Karnataka 68.14 per cent, and Madhya Pradesh 63.22 per cent, according to the EC.

The former Karnataka minister KS Eshwarappa, who is contesting the Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate in Shivamogga, on Tuesday filed a complaint with the Deputy Commissioner against the social media cell of the BJP. In his complaint, KS Eshwarappa alleged that the BJP has posted one of his old videos to mislead the voters.

Eshwarappa said the BJP has recently posted an old video, in which he (Eshwarappa) had campaigned for BS Yediyurappa's son BY Raghavendra (BJP's Shivamogga candidate), ahead of polling.

(With inputs from Anagha.)

The third phase of Lok Sabha polls in four parliamentary constituencies of Bengal concluded peacefully, with only a few incidents of violence reported, officials said on Tuesday. The voter turnout was nearly 74 percent by 5 pm.

According to the data provided by the poll panel, Jangipur recorded a turnout of 72.13 per cent, Maldaha Dakshin saw 73.68 per cent, Murshidabad had 76.49 per cent, and Maldaha Uttar recorded 73.30 per cent. 

Additionally, the assembly by-poll in Murshidabad's Bhagawangola witnessed a turnout of 73.68 per cent.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday alleged that the Election Commission has turned a blind eye to the allegations against BJP leaders that they indulge in hate speeches during campaigns, converting the Model Code of Conduct to "Modi code of conduct".

"The Election Commission’s Model Code of Conduct has turned out to be a mockery and should be rechristened as Modi code of conduct. But we will continue to flag every incident of violation of rights of citizens of this country," Banerjee said.

A voter turnout of 60.92 per cent (approximately) was recorded as of 7 pm on Tuesday in the third phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. The highest overall voter turnout was recorded in Assam at 75.01 per cent as of 3 pm, followed by Goa at 74% and West Bengal at 73.93 per cent, the voter turnout app reported. 

• Assam: 75.01%
• Bihar: 56.50%
• Chhattisgarh: 66.94%
• Dadar & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu: 65.23%
• Goa: 74 %
• Gujarat: 56.12%
• Karnataka: 66.71%
• Madhya Pradesh: 62.71%
• Maharashtra: 53.95%
• Uttar Pradesh: 57.03%
• West Bengal: 73.93%

A voter turnout of 66.87 per cent was recorded till 5 pm in seven out of the 11 Lok Sabha constituencies in Chhattisgarh, where polling was held in the third and last phase of the general elections in the state on Tuesday, a poll official said.

Polling was held between 7 am and 6 pm in seven seats - Raipur, Durg, Bilaspur, Korba, Janjgir-Champa (reserved for Scheduled Caste candidates), Surguja (reserved for Scheduled Tribe candidates) and Raigarh (ST).

(With inputs from PTI.)

Approximately 60.19 voter turnout was recorded till 5 pm. Assam recorded highest turnout at 74.86%, while Maharashtra saw lowest at 53.4%

Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday asked voters of the country to reject the proponents of lies and hatred, and for Congress for brighter and more equal future for all.

"Reject the proponents of lies and hatred and vote for the Congress for a brighter and more equal future for all. Press the hand button and together, let us build a stronger, more united India with peace and harmony for all," she said in a video message amid the phase 3 voting. 

Sonia Gandhi also said that Congress and the INDIA bloc parties are committed to defend the Constitution and democracy. 

Gujarat Congress chief Shaktisinh Gohil on Tuesday claimed use of pens bearing the election symbol of the ruling BJP at a polling booth in Gandhinagar.

"No one can sit inside the polling booth with an election symbol. This is the law. BJP polling/booth representative in every polling booth in Gujarat. He was sitting inside the booth with a pen bearing the lotus symbol and the photo of the BJP leader. Do you want to fight elections like this? Rules for Congress and no rules for BJP? What kind of process is this? No matter how many tricks BJP uses, people will teach BJP a lesson this time in Gujarat," Gohil said in a long post on X (formerly known as Twitter).

Close to 47 per cent polling was recorded till 3 pm in the Lok Sabha election being held for 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday.

By 3 pm, 46.78 per cent votes were cast. Voting began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm. More than 1.89 crore voters are eligible to vote in these 10 constituencies.

Agra witnessed 43.67 per cent polling, Aonla 46.75 per cent, Budaun 45.44 per cent, Bareilly 45.96 per cent, Etah 48.93 per cent, Fatehpur Sikri 46.18 per cent, Firozabad 47.80 per cent, Hathras 44.63 per cent, Mainpuri 46.80 per cent and Sambhal 52.24 per cent, the Election Commission (EC) said.

(With inputs from PTI.)

The Congress on Tuesday accused the ruling BJP of failing to fulfill its commitment to providing farm loan waivers in Madhya Pradesh and wondered for how long will the ruling party give such 'jumlas'.

"How long will the BJP give jumlas of farm loan waiver? Why was the ‘Double Anyay’ Sarkar in MP distributing animal feed as rations? Why has MP failed to give Adivasis their rights under FRA? When will MP implement PESA in letter and spirit?" Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said in a post of X (formerly known as Twitter).

BJP on Tuesday took a jibe at the Congress and said that voters will decide whether a leader who makes Pakistan happy should emerge victorious in the ongoing Lok Sabha election or the one who makes India strong. 

"In view of the statements that are coming from Farooq Abdulla, Lalu Prasad and others, the people of the country would naturally think while casting their votes that whether a leader who makes Pakistan happy should win or the one who makes India strong," BJP national general secretary Vinod Tawde said.

A voter turnout of 50.71 per cent (approximately) was recorded as of 3 pm on Tuesday in the third phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. The highest overall voter turnout was recorded in West Bengal at 63.11 per cent as of 3 pm. Following in closely was Assam with 63.08 per cent voter turnout so far, according to the voter turnout app.

• ASSAM - 63.08%
• BIHAR - 46.69%
• CHHATTISGARH - 58.19%
• DADRA & NAGAR HAVELI AND DAMAN & DIU - 52.43%
• GOA -61.39 %
• GUJARAT - 47.03%
• KARNATAKA - 54.20%
• MADHYA PRADESH - 54.09%
• MAHARASHTRA - 42.63%
• UTTAR PRADESH - 46.78%
• WEST BENGAL - 63.11%

After casting his vote, Assam Chief Minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma says, "Today is the last day of the Assam (Lok Sabha) elections. We have completed it peacefully. We recorded almost 80 per cent voter turnout in the first two phases. I thank the whole of Assam for peaceful."

Union Minister and BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Sambalpur, Dharmendra Pradhan holds a roadshow along with BJP Rengali assembly candidate, Nauri Nayak at Parmanpur in Rengali Assembly constituency under Sambalpur district, during the campaign trail.

Amreli SP City Himkar Singh speaks to the media on elections in Gujarat, says, "The polling is going on peacefully. There have not been any reports of violence. People are casting their votes. We have made a lot of preparations for this day. We have taken preventive actions against 9880 anti-social elements. On the input of ATS, SOG Amreli along with the ATS team, raided a factory on the outskirts of Amreli where Mephedrone drug worth Rs. 13 crores weighing around 6.5 kgs was seized. All the licensed weapons were deposited in the police stations... We have deployed sufficient force."