West Bengal recorded the highest voter turnout at 49.27 per cent till 1 pm as voting for the third phase of Lok Sabha elections is underway in 93 constituencies spread over 11 states and Union Territories.
Besides Bengal, Goa also witnessed higher turnout of votes at 49.04 per cent, according to the data released by Election Commission of India.
Chhattisgarh also witnessed a high voter turnout of 46.14 per cent in six hours of voting. Maharashtra saw the lowest turnout till 1 pm at 31.55 per cent.
At 1 pm, voting percentages for other states where polling for the third phase of the Lok Sabha polls is being held are – Assam—45.88, Bihar—36.69, Gujarat—37.83 , Karnataka—41.59 , Madhya Pradesh—44.67 and Uttar Pradesh—38.12.
Union Territory Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu recorded 39.94 per cent voter turnout till 1 pm.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, former Madhya Pradesh chief ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Digvijaya Singh, Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, Samajwadi Party leader Dimple Yadav, and NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule are the prominent names among over 1,300 candidates, who are in the fray in the third phase.
Of the 93 seats where polling is being held today, the BJP had won 72 in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The Lok Sabha elections 2024 are being held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1. Counting of votes will take place on June 4 and the results are likely to be announced on the same day.
Notably, the overall voter turnout in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections was over 67 per cent.