Election 2019 Phase 3 Voting: 117 seats across 13 states and two union territories voted today
Incidents of violence in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and West Bengal headlined the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections today. In Madhya Pradesh capital, Bhopal, BJP workers were seen thrashing an Nationalist Congress Party worker at SDM office after he allegedly showed black flags to BJP candidate Pragya Singh Thakur during her roadshow. In Jammu and Kashmir, a National Conference polling agent was allegedly dragged and beaten up by PDP supporters at Bijbehara polling station. They allegedly hit him after he objected to bogus voting.
West Bengal has witnessed an impressive voter turnout with 78.97% of the electorate exercising their franchise. Tripura leads the states with an overall percentage of 79.64%. Assam and Chhattisgarh also witnessed impressive voter turnout at 74.05% and 64.02% respectively. Only 11.22 per cent of the electorate had cast vote in Jammu and Kashmir till 5pm.
Earlier today, three Trinamool Congress workers were injured after a bomb was thrown at them in Murshidabad. In Uttar Pradesh -- the state which sends the maximum number of lawmakers to the parliament, an polling officer was beaten up by BJP workers after he allegedly asked voters to press the 'cycle' symbol of Samajwadi party. Two senior citizens collapsed and died at a polling booth in Kerala's Kannur, news agency PTI reported.
Numerous complaints of malfunctioning of electronic voting machines (EVMs) were reported from Kerala, Assam and Goa. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan complained that election officials appear to have failed to ensure that the EVMs worked properly. "I myself had to wait for a while and I was told that the EVMs are not working. I am also told that this is the case in other places also," Mr Vijayan said shortly after voting in Kannur. An entire set of EVMs have been replaced in south Goa, news agency ANI reported quoting Chief Electoral Officer.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first prominent leaders who voted in the third phase. The power of voter ID is more powerful than a IED, he said after voting in Gujarat's Ahmedabad, where he arrived in an open jeep instead of a bullet proof vehicle. Shortly after casting vote, PM Modi walked down the streets showing his inked finger and addressed the media. "I believe the voter ID is more powerful. This shows the true strength of the masses," he said. Polling has been delayed in several polling booths in Assam after voting machines or EVMs reported problems.
Nearly 18.5 crore voters in Gujarat, Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir, Tripura and Union Territories Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu will decide who will represent them in the parliament for the next five years. The voting time for Phase 3 elections is from 7 am to 6 pm.
The presidents of two of India's biggest parties - the BJP and Congress -- are among the key candidates in the third phase. While BJP's Amit Shah is making his Lok Sabha election debut from Gujarat's Gandhinagar, Congress president Rahul Gandhi is contesting from Kerala's Wayanaud, which is his second seat apart from family bastion Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. Mr Gandhi has been served notice by the top court for comments involving a Supreme Court order on the Rafale fighter jet deal. Mr Gandhi had admitted yesterday that he had misquoted the Supreme Court after its ruling on the Rafale deal and said he had done it as "rhetorical flourish in the heat of political campaigning", without having seen, read or analysed the order.
Meanwhile, Bollywood actor Sunny Deol joined the BJP today, becoming the third member of his family -- after Dharmendra and Hema Malini -- to join the party. "I am following my father's footsteps. Just like he joined the AB Vajpayee government, I am joining the Modi government. Modi ji has done a lot for the country, and I feel he deserves to lead the nation for another 5 years," he said.
The seven-phase Lok Sabha elections started on April 11 and would conclude on May 19. Counting of votes will take place on May 23.
Here are the live updates of Lok Sabha elections 2019 Phase 3 voting:
Provisional data till 8pm for Kerala - 76.82%
Overall poll percentages, state wise
Chhattisgarh - 64.02%
Karnataka -60.42%
Goa - 70.19%
Gujarat- 59%
Dadra and Nagar Haveli -71.43%
Daman and Diu -73%
Kerala - 73.06%
Assam - 74.05%
West Bengal - 78.97%
Tripura - 79.64%
Bihar - 60%
Maharastra - 62%
Odisha - 64%
UP - 60.52%
Anantnag by poll- 12.86%
27 members of Pune family step out to vote togetherThe Bhosle family in Maharshtra's Pune
stepped out together today to vote during the third phase of national election today. This, they say, is their family tradition. While the eldest among them was 95-year-old Parvatibai Bhosale, the youngest was her 26-year-old grandson Niranjan.
At least 11 deaths were reported from various places in Kerala on Tuesday while polling was underway for 20 Lok Sabha seats in the state. However, the Election Commission said it had nothing to do with voting.
The state poll panel asked the district collectorate to compile the figures as the incidents were reported in Kasargode, Kollam, Kannur, Ernakulam, Wayanad among others when Kerala voted in the third phase of the staggered process.
Media Briefing by Election Commission of India
Singer Hans Raj Hans after filing his nomination from North West Delhi constituency as a BJP candidate: I have been a warrior since my childhood, I have to win. I am a son of a farm labourer, it is in my genes to work hard. I consider PM Modi as my hero.
Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) & VVPATs being packed at polling booth no.199 in Dhubri after voting concludes there.
CRPF jawan takes care of a baby as the mother votes
Estimated voter turnout till now for the 3rd phas
BJP's Gautam Gambhir files his nomination for the East Delhi parliamentary constituency.
Interim turnout data from the States/UTs on phase 3
Voting underway in Jammu and Kashmir
Voter turnout as of 4pm at Goa
At 4 PM, Gujarat crossed 50% mark in voter turnout
Certificates have been issued to first People with Disabilities voters in Araria Parliamentary constituency.
BJP's Lok Sabha candidate from Kendrapara, Baijayant 'Jay' Panda, casts his vote for Lok Sabha Elections and Odisha Assembly Elections at Booth No. 19 in Bhubaneswar.
A polling booth in Gujarat's Gir Forest has been set up for 1 voter in JunagadhVoter Bharatdas Bapu says,"Government spends money for this polling booth for 1 vote. I've voted and it's 100% voter turnout here. For 100% voter turnout everywhere, I request all to go and vote."
Former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP leader, Jagadish Shettar casts his vote at a polling booth in Hubballi-Dharwad, Karnataka
Polling percentage at 5 PM in Bihar:
Jhanjharpur- 51%
Supaul- 57%
Araria- 56.89%
Madhepura- 54%
Khagaria- 56%
Total - 54.91%
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant casts his vote 
In Thiruvananthapuram, Abin Babu, a voter at booth no. 151 in Vattiyoorkavu, was arrested for allegedly making a false complaint about malfunctioning of polling machine. He had alleged that VVPAT displayed his vote had gone to another candidate, not to the one he voted for.
Polling percentage at 4 PM in Bihar:
Jhanjharpur- 48.5%
Supaul- 52%
Araria- 53%
Madhepura- 48%
Khagaria- 53%
Total - 50.82%
Sand art at Odisha's Puri beach urging people to vote
Chief Electoral Officer, Odisha: VVPAT meant for Parliamentary constituency was mistakenly attached to Control and Ballot Unit meant for Assembly constituency during replacement. Error was detected after 22 votes were polled. Polling adjourned immediately; recommendation to be made to ECI for fresh poll.
People cast their votes in Phase 3 of elections:
BJP candidate from Pilibhit parliamentary constituency, Varun Gandhi visits a polling booth in Pilibhit and clicks selfies with supporters.
Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel casts his vote at a polling station in BharuchSenior Congress leader Ahmed Patel on if Priyanka Gandhi Vadra would contest polls from Varanasi: "She herself said that she'll definitely contest if party asks her to. Party will soon take a decision on it. Congress President will decide after consulting others."
Shraddha, a bride, casts her vote at a polling station in Pune ahead of her wedding. Shraddha says, "It is our national duty. I felt a little nervous but I liked it"
PDP supporters thrash a NC polling agent at Bijbehara polling station of Anantnag, reports ANI
Samajwadi Party leader and SP-BSP-RLD candidate from Rampur, Azam Khan, and his son Abdullah Azam Khan, cast their vote at a polling station in the district
Estimated voter turnout till now for the 3rd phase of the Lok Sabha Elections2019 is 51.15%. Voting for 116 parliamentary constituencies across 13 states and 2 union territories is being held today.
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh leaves after casting his vote at a polling booth in Assam's Dispur.
A man standing in a queue to vote killed in clashes between Congress and Trinamool workers in Baligram, Murshidabad in Bengal.
In Odisha, a polling official at booth number 41 in Kantapal village in Dhenkanal died, after collapsing while on duty, reports ANI.
Babulal Murmu, a polling agent was found dead at his house in Buniadpur, Dakshin Dinajpur in Bengal, reports news agency ANI.
Samajwadi Party (SP) founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, who is contesting for the fifth consecutive term from Mainpuri in Uttar Pradesh, cast his vote in the third phase of polling. He was accompanied by his wife Sadhna Gupta, son and party chief Akhilesh Yadav and daughters-in-law Dimple Yadav and Aparna Yadav.
Elderly voters show up to cast their vote in Phase 3
A look at the electorate of the States and UTs having polls today in Phase 3
Polling percentage at 3 PM in Bihar:
Jhanjharpur- 43%
Supaul- 45%
Araria- 47%
Madhepura- 43%
Khagaria- 52%
Total - 45.88%
Vote percentage in Assam till 3 pmDhubri - 67.12%
Kokrajhar (ST) - 63.36%
Barpeta - 60.38%
Gauhati - 58.23%
Average -62.13 %
Lok Sabha Election Phase 3 Voting: Two die waiting to vote in Kerala
Two senior citizens died at a polling booth in Kerala, news agency PTI reported.
Vijayi (65) was waiting for her turn to vote at the Chokli Rama vilasam L P School booth near Panur, which comes under Vatakara constituency, when she collapsed, police said.
In another incident, Pappachan (80) collapsed and died at a polling booth in Vadasserikkara in Pathanamthitta district.
72-year-old Venugopala Marar, who complained of uneasiness after reaching home from the polling station, was declared brought dead at the cooperative hospital in Taliparamba, PTI reported.
Elections 2019: Sheila Dikshit files her nomination from North East Delhi
Former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit is up against BJP Delhi chief Manoj Tiwari and the AAP's Dilip Pandey.
The Congress, which does not have any MLA in Delhi has announced a strong list of candidates for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Former Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken will contest from New Delhi, J.P. Agarwal from Chandni Chowk and Arvinder Singh Lovely from East Delhi.
State Congress Working President Rajesh Lilothia will be the party's face from North West Delhi, while Mahabal Mishra will contest from West Delhi.
The Congress and AAP had been in alliance talks for weeks to fight unitedly against the BJP, which won all seven seats in the last polls, but they could not reach an understanding.
The Congerss had initially finalised name of Ramesh Kumar, brother of Sajjan Kumar, from South Delhi but decided against giving him ticket due to protests by Sikh groups.
Sajjan Kumar has been convicted in anti-Sikh riots case.
The announcement of Vijender Singh's name came as a surprise and is expected to boost the party's prospects in the seat.
In an apparent dig at BJP's chowkidar campaign, former party MP Ram Charitra Nishad gave his resignation to watchman at BJP office today.
Ram Charitra Nishad is contesting on Samajwadi Party ticket from Mirzapur Lok Sabha seat.
Lok Sabha Election Phase 3 Voting: Assam poll percentage till 1 pm
Dhubri - 53.07%
Kokrajhar (ST) - 47.59%
Barpeta - 46.21%
Gauhati - 40.60%
Average - 46.61%
Lok Sabha Election Phase 3 Voting: LK Advani casts his vote in Ahmedabad
Veteran BJP leader LK Advani casts his vote at a polling booth at Shahpur Hindi School in Ahmedabad.
Mr Advani, who has won the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat six times since 1991 has been replaced by BJP chief Amit Shah for the ensuing general elections.
Lok Sabha Election Phase 3 Voting: Kashmiri Pandits cast their ballot at special polling station in Udhampur
Over hundred Kashmiri Pandits exercised their franchise at a special polling station in Udhampur for Anantnag parliamentary constituency amidst tight security, news agency ANI reported.
There are 137 Kashmiri Pandit voters registered at the booth where police and paramilitary force personnel have been deployed.
"I belong to Fatehpora. Voting for the right person is a democratic right. Our main demand is the safe return of the Kashmiri Pandits, who were unlawfully evicted from the Valley 30 years ago. We hope that the government would fulfill this demand of ours," the middle-aged man told ANI.
Lok Sabha Election Phase 3 Voting: Azam Khan's son alleges tampering of EVMs in UP's Rampur
Samajwadi Party candidate from Rampur in Uttar Pradesh Azam Khan's son Abdullah has accused the BJP of tampering the electronic voting machines. Abdullah claimed that more than 300 EVMs had been tempered with. "The (Bharatiya Janata Party) BJP knows that Azam Khan is going to win with a large number of votes and that is why they are using this tactics."
Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav casts vote in Saifai. Mr Yadav has alleged that EVMs across India are either malfunctioning or voting for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Akhilesh Yadav quoted District Magistrates as saying that election officials were not trained to operate the electronic voting machines (EVMs). More than 350 of them had been replaced, he said.
"This is criminal negligence for a polling exercise that costs Rs 50,000 crore. Should we believe DMs or is something far more sinister afoot?" he asked.
Boxer Vijender Singh is expected to file his nomination from South Delhi seat as Congress candidate shortly. "I am happy that Congress has given me a responsibility to serve the people. As a son of a driver, I understand the plight of the poor. I'll reach out to people to understand their problems," he said.
Bollywood actor Sunny Deol joined the Bharatiya Janata Party today, days after he met BJP president Amit Shah. He is likely to be the BJP candidate from Gurdaspur in Punjab.
Actor Sunny Deol arrives at Bharatiya Janata Party office in Delhi. He had met BJP President Amit Shah last week.
Lok Sabha Election Phase 3 Voting: Wayanad
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi is contesting from the Wayanad parliamentary constituency, his second seat besides his family bastion of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.
He is up against CPI's PP Suneer and Thushar Vellappally of Bharat Dharma Jana Sena (BDJS), which is a BJP ally.
The Wayanad seat, which was created in 2009, shares its borders with the Nilgiris of Tamil Nadu and the Mysuru region of Karnataka. It is predominantly rural and of its seven assembly segments, three are in Wayanad district, three in Malappuram and one in Kozhikode district.
Female voters are more in number compared to male voters in the Lok Sabha seat which has a total of 13,57,819 electors. There are 6,84,807 females, there are 6,73,011 male voters. While the difference is 11,796, there is only one third gender elector in the constituency.
Out of the 13,57,819 voters, 2,951 are overseas electors.
Senior Congress leader M I Shanavas, who died last year, had been winning the seat ever since the constituency was carved out in 2009.
People queue up at a polling booth in Sugandhagiri, Wayanad to cast their vote in the third phase of polling of Lok Sabha Elections.
Lok Sabha Election Phase 3 Voting: Assam poll percentage at 11 am
Dhubri - 31.54%
Kokrajhar (ST) - 27.2%
Barpeta - 25.86%
Gauhati - 29.47%
Average - 28.64 %
JUST IN: Sunny Deol to join BJP, likely to be fielded from Gurdaspur
Actor Sunny Deol, who met BJP President Amit Shah, will join the party today. The actor is likely to be fielded from Gurdaspur for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.
Sunny Deol's father, veteran actor Dharmendra had contested the 2004 national election from Rajasthan's Bikaner on BJP ticket and won. Last week, the veteran actor campaigned for his wife, actor and BJP lawmaker Hema Malini, in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura.
Punjab will vote in a single phase, on May 19, the last day of the seven-phased national election.
Akali Dal fields Sukhbir Singh Badal from Ferozepur
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from the Ferozepur, which shares the international border with Pakistan, it was announced on Tuesday.
Sukhbir is a sitting SAD legislator from Jalalabad.
His wife, union Minister for Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal, is the SAD candidate from the Bathinda Lok Sabha seat which she won in 2009 and 2014.
Sukhbir Badal will face Congress candidate Sher Singh Gubhaya in Ferozepur.
Lok Sabha Election Phase 3 Voting: Thiruvananthapuram
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor is facing a triangular contest in Thiruvananthapuram, where the BJP has fielded former Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan and the CPI C Divakaran, , who's a sitting CPI MLA and former state Minister.
In 2014, Tharoor scraped past O. Rajagopal of the BJP by a slender margin of 15,470 votes. This time though, the BJP is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the lotus finally blooms from here.
BJP MP candidate from Thiruvananthapuram constituency, Kummanam Rajasekharan, stands in a queue to cast his vote at a polling station in Thiruvananthapuram.
Lok Sabha Election Phase 3 Voting: Mainpuri seat
Samajwadi patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav is contesting from his family bastion Mainpuri in Uttar Pradesh, which has sent him to the Lok Sabha four times.
In 2014, Mulayam Singh fought from both Mainpuri and Azamgarh, but chose to retain the latter. Mulayam Singh Yadav's Mainpuri seat is considered among the safest bets for the Samajwadi Party.
In the past, he has represented Mainpuri in the Lok Sabha in 1996, 2004 and 2009. Even though he chose the Azamgarh seat in 2014, his victory margin was a massive 3.64 lakh votes.
Entire set of voting machines or EVMs have been replaced in a booth in South Goa, news agency ANI reported quoting a Chief Electoral Officer.
A man carries his 87-year mother to polling booth in Kotwali Primary Junior Basic School, in Malda, West Bengal. (ANI)
Lok Sabha Election Phase 3 Voting: Faulty EVMs Delay Voting In Assam, Kerala
Numerous complaints of malfunctioning of electronic voting machines (EVMs) were reported from across Kerala and Assam. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan complained that election officials appear to have failed to ensure that the EVMs worked properly.
"I myself had to wait for a while and I was told that the EVMs are not working. I am also told that this is the case in other places also," Vijayan told the media in Kannur after he voted.
The Leader of Opposition, who voted in Alappuzha, also complained about faulty EVMs. Voters at a polling booth in Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha constituency had to wait for over two hours after polling began officially, news agency PTI said.
Lok Sabha Election Phase 3 Voting: Uttara Kannada seat
Union minister Anantkumar Hegde, who is in news for his controversial remarks, is up against Janata Dal (Secular)'s Anand Asnotikar in Uttara Kannada, a seat he has held since 2004.
Mr Hegde has been campaigning extensively for the elections and has held roadshows in Siddapura, Sirsi and other places recently.
He is also an Union Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in the Narendra Modi government.
Lok Sabha Election Phase 3 Voting: Polling percentage in Bengal
Lok Sabha Election Phase 3 Voting: Mulayam Singh, Azam Khan among key candidates in UP
In Uttar Pradesh -- the state that sends maximum number of parliamentarians, polling is being held in 10 seats. Several key leaders, including Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh, his nephews Dharmendra Yadav and Akshay Yadav, senior party leader Azam Khan and the BJP's Jaya Prada are contesting in this phase. The BJP had won seven of the 10 seats in 2014, while the SP bagged three.
Just In: EVM malfunctioning have been reported from several polling booths in Assam.
In the first two phases, election was held to 91 and 96 seats on April 11 and April 18 respectively. Election to 543 seats are being held in seven phases. The counting of votes will be on May 23.
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and wife Anjali cast vote at a polling booth in Anil Gyan Mandir school in Rajkot. (ANI)
A specially-abled voter at a polling booth in IRC village, Bhubaneswar.
Lok Sabha Election Phase 3 Voting: Baramati Lok Sabha constituencyNCP candidate Supriya Sule, and her family at a polling station in family stronghold, Baramati in Maharashtra. Ms Sule is seeking a re-election from the seat.
In 2014, Supriya Sule won by nearly 70,000 votes. Supriya Sule is up against BJP's Kanchan Kul in Baramati.
Supriya Sule said that she has carried a lot of developmental work in the her constituency. "I have gone to the people with the work w have done. For me development is only agenda. My constituency is high performing constituency as per the data. In democracy everyone has right to fight election," she said.
Baramati Lok Sabha constituency has been a Pawar stronghold since 1991. Starting from Ajit Pawar to then Sharad Pawar and his daughter Supriya Sule, in the last two terms, it has been domination of one family for close to three decades.
"Voter ID more powerful than IED," says PM after casting vote in Ahmedabad
- Today, I got the opportunity as a citizen of this country to come out and vote... I am happy to fulfill my responsibility...
- Just like one feels a certain purity after taking a dip during the Kumbh mela, similarly, I feel pious and pure after casting my vote as a citizen.
- The electorate in India is wise. They know the reality on the ground. They have seen and know what has been done.
- I welcome the participation of all my fellow citizens who have come out and voted and will do so through the elections.
- I appeal to all young, first-time voters to come out and cast your vote. You are India's future and the world is watching.
- While terrorists try to prove their strength by using IEDs, democracies show their strength by the Voter IDs. This shows the true strength of the masses.
Voting began on a dull note in Anantnag district of Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency. Residents in most parts of the district in restive south Kashmir have stayed indoors so far, an official said.