Lok Sabha Elections Phase 3: High-Profile Seats Baramati, Gulbarga, Mainpuri Up for Grabs | 7 Points

Phase III of Lok Sabha elections sees voters from 93 seats across 10 states, with notable candidates' fates hanging on the line.

New Delhi: As people from 93 seats across 10 states cast their vote today, the fate of some of the key constituencies will be decided. Over 1300 candidates, including 120 women, are in the fray for a majority in the Lok Sabha.  

1. The future of Union minister Amit Shah, Jyotiraditya Scindia, former Madhya Pradesh chief ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and Digvijaya Singh will be locked in the electronic voting machines (EVMs). Phase III of the election is particularly crucial as it marks the halfway point in terms of seats voted for.  

2. A total of 17.24 crore eligible voters are set to cast their franchise in this phase. As per ANI, the election commission has made adequate arrangements for 1.85 lakh polling stations considering the weather conditions and the comfort of voters. 75 delegates from 23 countries will see the poll process, the poll panel said.  

3. Phase III of the elections will include 4 seats from Assam and West Bengal, 5 in Bihar, 7 in Chhattisgarh, 2 seats in both Goa and Daman and Diu, all 26 seats in Gujarat, 14 in Karnataka, 8 in Madhya Pradesh, and 10 in Uttar Pradesh.  

4. Among some of the high-profile seats are Baramati in Maharashtra, Gulbarga in Karnataka, and Mainpuri in Uttar Pradesh.  

5. The polling for Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, earlier scheduled to happen on May 7, has been postponed by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to the sixth phase, which will take place on May 25. 

6. Due to the demise of the BSP candidate in the Betul Lok Sabha seat of Madhya Pradesh, the BJP candidate was declared the winner unopposed in Surat. Hence, 93 seats are going to the polls today.  

7. In the first phase of Lok Sabha polls, voting took place in 102 seats, followed by 88 seats in the second phase. The Lok Sabha elections will span seven phases until June 1, with counting and result declaration scheduled for June 4.