Women Turn Out In Huge Numbers As India Votes In Third Phase Of Lok Sabha Polls

With today's third round of voting, India's seven-part elections hit Prime Time. Rahul Gandhi and Amit Shah - bosses of two of the largest parties going up against each other - were on the ballot today, besides a slew of heavyweights. More than 18 crore voters in 13 states and two union territories, including all of Gujarat, Kerala and half of Karnataka, lined up to decide their fate. While many of the contenders were considered too big to have a real challenge on their hands, the Indian electorate has always reserved a surprise or two for the pundits.

An elderly woman shows her inked marked finger after casting vote, during the third phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, in Wayanad district of Kerala.

Women wait in a long queue to cast their votes at a polling station, during the third phase of Lok Sabha polls, at Batheri in Kerala's Wayanad.
Burqa-clad women show their inked marked finger after casting vote during the third phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, at a polling station in UP's Moradabad.
Women of the Reang tribal community arrive to cast their vote, during the third phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, at polling station in Agartala.

Christian nuns wait in a queue to cast their votes at a polling station, during the third phase of Lok Sabha elections, in Assam's Guwahati.
A migrant Kashmiri Pandit woman shows her inked finger after she cast her vote for Anantnag parliamentary seat, during the 3rd phase of the general elections, at a polling station on the outskirts of Jammu.
Women of Bodo tribal community shows her inked marked finger after casting vote, during the third phase of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, at Jopadong polling station in Assam's Baksa district.