The Election Commission on Tuesday reported that polling percentage in the third phase of the general election exceeded 61 per cent as of 8 pm. This is slightly better than initial numbers of the first two phases. In 2019, the final figure of polling for the third phase was 68.4 per cent.
the third phase saw polling in 93 Lok Sabha seats spread over 11 States and Union Territories. A total of 17.24 crore people were eligible to exercise their democratic rights through 1.85 lakh polling stations. Among 11 States/UT, Maharashtra recorded the lowest turnout, while Assam saw the highest turnout.
Sporadic incidents of violence marred polling in four constituencies in West Bengal as the Trinamool Congress, BJP and Congress workers clashed in various parts of Murshidabad and Jangipur seats. In Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal, Samajwadi Party candidate Ziaur Rehman Barq alleged that a circle officer doubled up as a BJP worker and snatched bags and voter slips from SP workers. In Asmoli assembly constituency of the Sambhal seat, local SP workers reported that the police lathicharged their voters. “I appeal to every booth agent and worker, candidates and supporters of SP and INDIA bloc to stay alert and till the EVMs are not sealed and stored in the strong room, stay on guard. If there is evidence of wrongdoing, please record it in your cameras and send it across. Stay alert,” said SP leader Akhilesh Yadav.
EC is facing the heat over delay in releasing the final voter turnout. In fact, it was only after businessline highlighted the delay in publishing final numbers that EC released the figure for the first phase after 11 days from date of polling for the first phase and five days after the second phase of polling. The final number saw an increase of around 6 per cent in both the phases.
Latest data out
Now, EC has now decided to come out with latest number just before midnight on polling day. Also, after the scrutiny and depending on the number/ schedule of repoll, publish the updated voter turnout along with gender wise break-up for the third phase on May 11.
Key candidates during the third phase include Amit Shah (BJP) from Gandhinagar, Gujarat, Digvijaya Singh (Congress) from Rajgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan (BJP) from Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh, Dimple Yadav (Samajwadi Party) from Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh, Supriya Sule (Nationalist Congress Party- Sharad Pawar) from Baramati, Maharashtra, Jyotiraditya Scindia (BJP) from Guna, Madhya Pradesh among 1,131 candidates.
The commission said that the voter turnout figures which are approximate as of 8 p.m. will continue to be further updated on the VTR App on a continuous basis as various polling parties formally close the poll and hand over Form 17 C to the polling agents of candidates at each of the polling station. As per statutory requirements, voter turnout is to be recorded at every polling station in absolute numbers in Form 17C, which prevails.
“As an embedded measure of transparency, the copies of Form 17C, duly signed by Presiding Officer and all present polling agents, are invariably shared with all present polling agents of contesting candidates. Thus, booth wise data of actual number of votes polled is always available with the candidates, which is a statutory requirement,” the commission said, while adding that absolute number of each Parliamentary Constituency for three phases have now been made public.