Nearly 65% polling in third phase

Voting now completed in 20 states/UTs and 282 Lok Sabha seats out of 543

During the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections, a voter turnout of nearly 65 per cent was recorded on Tuesday across 93 constituencies in 11 states and Union Territories.

Assam recorded the highest turnout at 81.71 per cent followed by West Bengal at 76.52 per cent and Goa at 75.20 per cent, while Uttar Pradesh witnessed the lowest at 57.34 per cent, with Bihar at 58.18 per cent, Gujarat at 59.51 per cent and Maharashtra at 61.44 per cent doing slightly better, according to the figures from the Election Commission at 12.15 am.

The overall voting percentage was 64.58 per cent. According to the EC, the figures are an “approximate trend” and are likely to rise as data is being collected.

Among other states and UTs, Chhattisgarh recorded 71.06 per cent polling, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu 69.87 per cent, Karnataka 70.41 per cent, and Madhya Pradesh 66.05 per cent, according to the EC.Voting, officially scheduled to conclude at 6 pm, extended past the deadline to accommodate those already in line to cast their ballots.

As many as 17.24 crore people, including 8.39 crore females, were eligible to vote in the third phase and 1.85 lakh polling stations manned by 18.5 lakh officials had been set up.