60.97 pc voter turnout recorded so far in Lok Sabha polls Phase 3, Assam records highest

NEW DELHI: The voter turnout was recorded at approximately 60.97 per cent across the 11 States/Union Territories in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections, according to the latest data issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

Assam recorded the highest voter turnout of 75.01 per cent and the lowest was recorded in Maharashtra, where it was 53.95 per cent.

Voting percentages for other States participating in the third phase of the Lok Sabha polls as per latest data are- Bihar --56.55 per cent, Chhattisgarh--66.94 per cent, Goa -- 74.00 per cent, Gujarat--56.21 per cent, Karnataka--66.80 per cent, Madhya Pradesh--62.79 per cent, Uttar Pradesh--57.04 per cent and West Bengal--73.93 per cent.

Union Territory Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu recorded 65.23 per cent voter turnout, as per the latest data.

In this phase, more than 1300 candidates, including around 120 women, are in the fray. A total of 17.24 crore voters are eligible to cast their franchise in this phase at 1.85 lakh polling stations.

Prominent leaders contesting today's poll battle included Union Home Minister Amit Shah, 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, among others.

In the 2019 general election, the BJP won 72 of the 93 seats that go to the polls today.

Voting will not take place for Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat on Tuesday as the Election Commission of India (ECI) has postponed the polling to the sixth phase to be held on May 25. Originally, voting was scheduled to be held on 94 Lok Sabha seats in the third phase.

The Lok Sabha elections are being held across seven phases, from April 19 to June 1. The counting is scheduled for June 4.