Third phase of Lok Sabha elections witnesses 49 to 50 pct polling: EC

New Delhi, April 30 (ANI): The third-phase of the Lok Sabha elections witnessed a largely peaceful vote on Thursday with 49 to 50 per cent of the total 14.4 crore eligible voters casting their votes in nine States and two Union Terrritories undergoing elections in 107 constituencies despite a scorching heat.

According to the election commission, the voting percentage recorded till evening remained in Uttar Pradesh (45 %), Bihar (48 %), Madhya Pradesh (44 to 45 %), Karnataka (57%), Maharashtra (43 to 45 %), Gujarat (49 to 50 %), Jammu and Kashmir (30 %), West Bengal (for first phase 64%) Sikkim (till last reports 60 %).

"In Uttar Pradesh, which witnessed 45 per cent of voting, the polls were absolutely peaceful. No incident of any sort was reported. While Madhya Pradesh, which witnessed 44 to 45 per cent polling today, some incidents were reported," said R. Balakrishan, Deputy Election Commissioner during a press conference.

Polls were held in nine States Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh , Bihar , Gujarat, Sikkim, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka. The two Union Territories being Daman and Diu and Dadar and Nagar Haveli.

During the third phase of elections, the prominent leaders in fray included Congress president Sonia Gandhi (contesting from Rae Bareli), the BJP's prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani (Gandhinagar), the former Prime Minister, H.D. Deve Gowda (Hassan), BJP leader Jaswant Singh (Darjeeling), Janata Dal (U) president Sharad Yadav (Madhepura), CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta (Ghatal) and Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Basudeb Acharya (Purulia).

There were 1,567 contestants including 101 women in this round.

Elections were conducted at 1,65,112 polling stations with 6.6 lakh personnel being on poll duty.

As 15,193 polling stations had been identified as being naxalite-affected in seven Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar and three in West Bengal, the Election Commission had arranged to thwart any attempts by the outlaws to disrupt polling. (ANI)