In the third phase of poll an estimated 50% of the 14.4 crore electorate exercised their franchise today. The poll for the Lok Sabha was in 9 states and 2 union territories that passed off by and large peacefully barring stray violence in Bihar and West Bengal.
Today’s poll in 107 constituencies will decide the fate of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, BJP’s prime ministerial candidate L K Advani, former prime minister and JD(S) chief H D Deve Gowda, senior Left leaders Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI) and also Basudeb Acharya (CPI-M)
In West Bengal the poll turnout was 64% and Karnataka, Gujarat, Maharashtra 45%.
Mumbai’s turnout was 45% as the metropolis witnessed the first election six months after the 26/11 terror attacks.
The lowest turnout was in Anantnag constituency in Jammu and Kashmir. It was 25%. Here the separatists had called for a poll boycott call.
With the completion of this phase, voters have given their verdict in 372 Lok Sabha seats out of 543. The next 2 remaining phases will be held on May 7 and May 13. The counting of votes will be on May 16.
