Lok Sabha Polls Phase 3: The Battle For 93 Seats In 11 States/UTs | What’s At Stake

Voting for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 has entered the third phase of the total seven-phase election today, with 93 seats across 11 states and Union Territories up for voting. This phase will see some key contests featuring prominent candidates from various parties.

Voting during Phase 3 commenced at 7 am on Tuesday and will conclude at 6 pm. The counting of votes for the Lok Sabhe elections 2024 will take place on June 4. Over 11 crore people are eligible to vote in this phase.

Initially, the Election Commission (EC) had announced 94 seats for polling in the third phase. However, polls in Betul, Madhya Pradesh, were later postponed to May 7, temporarily increasing the total number of constituencies in Phase 3 to 95. 

However, the subsequent postponement of polls in Anantnag-Rajouri to May 25 and the unopposed election of a BJP candidate in Surat, which was scheduled for today, ultimately reduced the number of seats going to polls in Phase 3 to 93.

Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase 3 Voting | Key Points

• Voting In 93 Lok Sabha Constituencies:

In the third phase, polling will take place across 93 Lok Sabha constituencies covering 11 states and UTs. The states in phase 3 include Assam (4 seats), Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (7), Goa (2), Gujarat (25), Karnataka (14), Madhya Pradesh (9), Maharashtra (11), Uttar Pradesh (10), West Bengal (4), Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Daman and Diu (2). With this phase, polling will conclude in Gujarat, Karnataka, and Goa.

• How Many Candidates:

A total of 1,351 candidates from 12 states and UTs are  contesting in phase 3. This includes 8 candidates for the adjourned poll in the 29-Betul (ST) PC of Madhya Pradesh. Additionally, one candidate from Surat parliamentary constituency in Gujarat has been elected unopposed. 

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• Key Constituencies And Candidates To Look Out For:

Key constituencies to watch include Gandhinagar in Gujarat, where Home Minister Amit Shah is contesting against Congress's Sonal Ramanbhai Patel, and Baramati in Maharashtra, where Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule is taking on her nephew Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra Pawar. Other seats to keep an eye on are Vidisha and Guna in Madhya Pradesh, Dharwad in Bihar, Haveri in Karnataka, and Dhubri in Assam.

The key candidates include Amit Shah, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Digvijaya Singh.

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• Which Parties Rule The States That Vote In Phase 3?

-The BJP governs Assam, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

-The BJP governs Maharashtra and Bihar in alliances.

-Congress governs Karnataka.

-West Bengal is governed by the All India Trinamool Congress Party.

• Phase 1 And 2 Stats:

The first phase of elections was held on April 19 and the second phase on April 26. After the third phase of polling, elections will conclude in 285 of the 543 seats. Voting for  the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh phases will be held on May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1, respectively. The counting of votes will be held on June 4.

Voter turnout in Phase 1 and 2 of the Lok Sabha elections was 66.14 per cent and 66.71 per cent, respectively, according to the Election Commission, making a decrease from the 2019 polls, which saw turnouts of 69.43 per cent and 69.17 per cent in the first and second phases, respectively.