Polling took place across 11 states/UTs to seal the fate of 1,331 candidates in the fray in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024. The 94 seats where polling took place includes all 26 seats in Gujarat, the remaining 14 in Karnataka, and the remaining 7 in Chhattisgarh. Polling was concluded in six states in this phase.
According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), it received 2,665 nominations for 94 parliamentary constituencies going to the polls in this phase. This includes Betul in Madhya Pradesh where polling was adjourned in light of the death of a candidate.
Among those in the fray in this phase were Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Union ministers Parshottam Rupala, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Narayan Rane, former Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai and former Madhya Pradesh chief ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Digvijaya Singh, besides Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) leader Supriya Sule and Samajwadi Party leader Dimple Yadav.
Key seats included Gandhinagar, Porbandar, Rajkot and Navsari in Gujarat, Supaul in Bihar, Durg in Chhattisgarh, Haveri in Karnataka, Vidisha and Guna in Madhya Pradesh and Baramati and Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg in Maharashtra.
Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase-3: HIGHLIGHTS
07:45 pm: Updates to this live blog have ended.
07:30 pm: 60.6% total voter turnout recorded in phase three of Lok Sabha elections.
07:00 pm: Voting concluded across states, EVMs sealed.
06:30 pm: Highest voter turnout recorded in Assam at 74.86%, Maharashtra ranks lowest at 53.40%.
06:15 pm: 60.19% voter turnout recorded till 5 pm across the country.
Senior citizens in Kolhapur’s Hatkanagale complain of being deleted from voters’ list, The Indian Express reported.
06:00 pm: ‘Cast Vote, Get Ice-Cream Free’ awareness campaign organised in Karantaka’s Hubballi.
#WATCH | Dharwad, Karnataka: An awareness campaign 'Cast Vote and Eat Ice-Cream Free' was organised in Hubballi to promote voting for the Lok Sabha Elections 2024.#LokSabhaElections2024 pic.twitter.com/vj2BQHljac
— ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2024
05:45 pm: A 100-year-old man cast ‘home vote’ in Jammu and Kashmir’s Zadibal constituency. The concept of ‘home vote’ or ‘vote from home’ was introduced by the Election Commission of India ECI for the disabled and elderly voters.
05:30 pm: Delegates from the International Election Visitors’ Programme (IEVP) visited polling booths in Goa to spread awareness about green voting initiatives.
IEVP delegates visited the polling booths, discussing the significance of green voting initiatives in the wake of climate change. This initiative has spurred positive change, increased participation, and raised awareness. pic.twitter.com/dIjTykMvfC
— Chief Electoral Office, Goa (@CEO_Goa) May 7, 2024
05:10 pm: Speaking about the intense heat and polling in such weather, Delhi Chief Electoral Officer P Krishnamurthy said that arrangements for coolers and mist fans will be made in waiting areas at polling stations. “Cold drinking water will be made available at the polling stations. Delhi Jal Board tankers will be stationed at MCD zonal offices,” he added.
04:40 pm: ECI releases voter turnout till 3 PM, close to 51% voters cast their votes across 11 states, union territories.
04:15 pm: NCP(SP) Baramati Lok Sabha candidate Supriya Sule filed an email complaint with the state Election Commission on Tuesday after a video purporting to show Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Dattatraya Bharne allegedly threatening a party worker went viral on social media, according to party MLA Rohit Pawar.
“We have lodged a complaint with the State Election Commission against the (Indapur) NCP MLA (Bharne) for abusing and threatening our party worker in Indapur. This is a violation of the model code of conduct,” Pawar added.
04:10 pm: Maharashtra’s Baramati Parliamentary Constituency stands out from others with one of its polling booths being completely operated by differently-abled persons.
VIDEO | Lok Sabha Polls 2024: A voting centre in Maharashtra's Baramati Parliamentary Constituency is operated entirely by differently-abled persons.#LSPolls2024WithPTI #LokSabhaElections2024 pic.twitter.com/NbpUvQyWht
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 7, 2024
03:45 pm: Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma casts his vote in Barpeta Parliamentary Constituency. The BJP leader claims a voter turnout of 80 % in the state, saying that he hopes Assam will support a Bharat that will become Vishwa Guru and achieve the goals in ‘Amrit Kaal’.
03:00 pm: ‘No development, no voting,’ women in West Bengal’s Malda protest regarding development issues in their area; boycott voting for the third phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024
#WATCH | West Bengal: Women in Malda protest regarding development issues in their area; boycotted voting for the third phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024
(Visuals from Rajdoul SSKP, a polling station in Malda) pic.twitter.com/dVuz6vWyCe
— ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2024
02:55 pm: Shailendra Kumar, the presiding officer at Bihar’s Supaul polling booth, succumbs to a heart attack. According to a doctor at Sadar Hospital, Kumar was declared dead on arrival and his relatives were informed. After postmortem, it was found that he was diabetic.
#WATCH | Bihar: A presiding officer at a polling booth in Supaul passed away allegedly due to heart attack. He has been identified as Shailendra Kumar.
Doctor says, "He passed away in the morning…This happened where he was posted. He was rushed to PHC where he was declared… pic.twitter.com/Q8ggZWjqaC
— ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2024
02:25 pm: Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai casts his vote in Jashpur, calls elections ‘festival of democracy’.
“Festival of democracy is being observed. Polling will end in Chhattisgarh. I have come here with my family. I appeal to people to vote. PM Modi, Amit Shah visited here. There is an effect on people of the work done in the last 10 years. NDA will win all 11 seats here.”
VIDEO | Lok Sabha Polls 2024: Here's what Chhattisgarh CM VD Sai said after casting his vote in Jashpur.
"Festival of democracy is being observed. Polling will end in Chhattisgarh. I have come here with my family. I appeal to people to vote. PM Modi, Amit Shah visited here.… pic.twitter.com/FWLdDM3scL
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 7, 2024
Also read: Warrior image, tribal connect—Jharkhand ex-CM Hemant Soren’s wife Kalpana is rising as a politician
02:00 pm: Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and Congress candidate from Rajgarh Lok Sabha seat, Digvijaya Singh, questions the functioning of EVM in Chachura (MP). He claims the machine showed 50 votes were cast when only 11 votes were cast by then. However, the State Election Commission has refuted this.
Similarly, Samajwadi Party’s Badaun candidate, Aditya Yadav, too alleges that the “administration and Sahaswan SO were trying hard not to let anyone vote there”.
01:25 pm: Police patrolling begins in Murshidabad Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal after clashes between TMC, BJP and Congress-CPI(M) candidates. All three parties have lodged separate complaints of election violence, voter intimidation, and assaults on poll agents in the early hours of voting.
01:05 pm: Five generations of a family voted together at a polling station in Chhattisgarh. Check photo:
Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase-3: Five generations of a family voted together at a polling station in Chhattisgarh
Photo: ECI #PollsWithThePrint #Elections2024 pic.twitter.com/T2em2MDeEL
— ThePrintIndia (@ThePrintIndia) May 7, 2024
Also read: Modi factor or candidate? In Muzaffarpur, Ajay Nishad seeks to do what George Fernandes couldn’t
12:45 pm: Volunteers and home guards help elderly voters cast their votes across various polling stations. The elderly can be seen with wheelchairs and walkers as they enthusiastically take part in choosing the government of their country.
Aged Elector being assisted by CAPF personnel at the polling station of 11 Murshidabad PC of West Bengal.#ChunavKaParv #DeskKaGarv #Election2024 #IVote4Sure @ECISVEEP@SpokespersonECI@rajivkumarec@anuj_chandak pic.twitter.com/BproH606SW
— CEO West Bengal (@CEOWestBengal) May 7, 2024
ಕಾರವಾರದ ಆಲಿಗದ್ದಾ ಅಂಗನವಾಡಿ ಕೇಂದ್ರದಲ್ಲಿ 85 ವರ್ಷದ ವೃದ್ದೆ ತಮ್ಮ ಹಕ್ಕು ಚಲಾಯಿಸಿ ಸಂಭ್ರಮಿಸಿದರು. ಮತ ಚಲಾಯಿಸಿ ತಮ್ಮ ಜವಾಬ್ದಾರಿ ಮೆರೆದ ಇವರು ಪ್ರತಿಯೊಬ್ಬರಿಗೂ ಸ್ಫೂರ್ತಿ.#ceokarnataka #LokaSabhaElection2024#Election2024#YourVoteYourVoice#VotingMatters #votingday#DeshkaGarv #voteindia #may7 pic.twitter.com/CCSCrH3sYr
— Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka (@ceo_karnataka) May 7, 2024
ગાંગડી ગામ ના દાદી માં કુંવર બેન જગા ભાઈ ચેતરિયા એ 92 વર્ષ ની ઉંમરે મતદાન કરી
"મતદાન" મહાપર્વ ની શોભા વધારી 🙏🏻
અમને ગર્વ છે તમારા પર
.
.
.#IVoteforSure #MeraVoteDeshkeliye #ChunavKaParv #DeshKaGarv #LokSabhaElection2024 pic.twitter.com/ad4krwC7Vx
— Chief Electoral Officer, Gujarat (@CEOGujarat) May 7, 2024
Also read: AAP’s promises on trial: Public confrontations and protests mark Punjab’s election campaign
12:25 pm: A young woman comes dressed up in traditional attire to the polling station of Muddinakoppa village in Shimoga district as she casts her vote for the first time.
ಶಿವಮೊಗ್ಗ ಜಿಲ್ಲೆಯ ಮುದ್ದಿನಕೊಪ್ಪ ಗ್ರಾಮದ ಮತಗಟ್ಟೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸಾಂಪ್ರದಾಯಿಕ ಉಡುಪು ಧರಿಸಿ ಬಂದು ಮೊದಲ ಬಾರಿಗೆ ತನ್ನ ಮತ ಚಲಾಯಿಸಿದ ಸಂಭ್ರಮಿಸಿದ ಯುವತಿ.#ceokarnataka #LokaSabhaElection2024#Election2024#YourVoteYourVoice#VotingMatters#DeshkaGarv #may7 pic.twitter.com/nUxi3ye1DT
— Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka (@ceo_karnataka) May 7, 2024
12:15 pm: According to the Election Commission of India, voter turnout climbs to 25.4% till 11 am. Here’s a look at state-wise voter turnout.
- Assam: 27.34%
- Bihar: 24.41%
- Chhattisgarh: 29.90%
- Dadra & Nagar Haveli And Daman & Diu: 24.69%
- Goa: 30.94%
- Gujarat: 24.35%
- Karnataka: 24.48%
- Madhya Pradesh: 30.21%
- Maharashtra: 18.18%
- Uttar Pradesh: 26.12%
- West Bengal: 32.82%
View this post on Instagram
11:50 am: As polling is in full sway in 94 seats across 11 states/union territories, here’s a look at some candidates contesting from key constituencies in Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Dadar and Nagar Haveli, and Goa.
11:20 am: Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge casts his vote at a polling station in Kalaburagi, Karnataka. The party had fielded Kharge’s son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani from Kalaburagi constituency and BJP has fielded Umesh G Jadhav.
#WATCH | Karnataka: Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge casts his vote at a polling station in Kalaburagi.
Congress has fielded party chief Mallikarjun Kharge's son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani from Kalaburagi constituency and BJP has fielded Umesh G Jadhav.… pic.twitter.com/ynfFT0bspi
— ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2024
Also read: How I-PAC without Prashant Kishor is driving Mamata’s 2024 poll battle
10:45 am: NCP-SCP candidate from Baramati Lok Sabha seat, Supriya Sule casts her vote at a polling booth in Baramati, Maharashtra, says the entire election process, from Kashmir to Kanniyakumari, should be smooth, without any misuse of power or muscle or money. Elections must be fair, just and peaceful all over India, *adds Sule.
10:20 am: According to the Election Commission of India, the voter turnout in the third phase of polling until 9 a.m. was 10.57%. According to the poll panel, Assam has 10.12%, Bihar has 10.03%, Chhattisgarh has 13.24%, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu have 10.13%, and Goa has 12.35%.
09:45 am: “Elect a government that is dedicated to India and its progress, a government that will work for the welfare of people,” says Union Home Minister and BJP candidate from Gandhinagar constituency, Amit Shah after casting his vote at a polling booth in Ahmedabad.
VIDEO | “Third phase voting for Lok Sabha elections 2024 is being held today. I appeal to the voters of Gujarat and the country to participate in this festival of democracy,” said Union Home Minister and BJP candidate from Gandhinagar constituency Amit Shah (@AmitShah) after… pic.twitter.com/Q298bmvFwM
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) May 7, 2024
Also read: Modi factor or candidate? In Muzaffarpur, Ajay Nishad seeks to do what George Fernandes couldn’t
09:30 am: Polling begins in Assam. Voters queue up at polling stations, eager to exercise their democratic right.
Democracy is in action. Voters are queuing early to fulfill their democratic rights.
.
.#ECISVEEP #DeshKaGarv #ChunavKaParv #Loksabha2024 #ECI #GeneralElection2024 #Elections2024 #LS2024 #VoterAwareness pic.twitter.com/ealulEjjgZ
— Chief Electoral Officer, Assam (@ceo_assam) May 7, 2024
09:00 am: Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, along with wife Sadhna Singh, casts his vote at a polling booth in Jait. The BJP candidate is contesting from Madhya Pradesh’s Vidisha Lok Sabha seat this time. BJP leader Prabhat Jha also cast his vote from MP’s Gwalior.
8:30 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi cast his vote at the Nishan Higher Secondary School in Ahmedabad and urged Indians to step out and strengthen democracy.
Voted in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections! Urging everyone to do so as well and strengthen our democracy. pic.twitter.com/PlLCw7Fwe3
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 7, 2024
8:15 am: Can the BJP repeat its performance of the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Gujarat and Karnataka? Here’s how the states voted in the the previous two general elections:
08:00 am: With voting underway on 94 seats, this phase will cover 11 states/UTs. These include Gujarat, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Goa, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
Also read: SAD’s Chandigarh candidate withdraws from LS race citing party indifference — ‘cannot go on’