The Election Commission of India is conducting the third and largest phase of Lok Sabha 2019 elections on 23 April, 2019. The polls are held across 14 states and two Union Territories. As per reports, approximately 24 percent voter turnout was seen till 12 noon. So far, West Bengal has recorded highest voter turnout (35 percent) till noon whereas Jammu & Kashmir has the lowest turnout (4.72 percent).
As per schedule, the polling process commenced at 7 am. However, the turnout was low in the initial hours.
Some of the constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and Goa faced technical glitches in the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
EVMs across India malfunctioning or voting for the BJP. DMs say poll officials untrained to operate EVMs. 350+ being replaced. This is criminal negligence for a polling exercise that costs 50,000 crs.
Should we believe DMs @ECISVEEP, or is something far more sinister afoot? pic.twitter.com/eGsGUUBWai
— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) April 23, 2019
The approximate voter turnout at the different constituencies is as follows:
Voter Turnout across States
| State | Voter turnout till 11 AM (in percent) | Voter turnout till 12 noon (in percent) |
| Assam | 22.71 | 28.64 |
| Bihar | 13.03 | 25.65 |
| Goa | 12.83 | 28.49 |
| Gujarat | 10.48 | 24.93 |
| Jammu & Kashmir | 1.90 | 4.72 |
| Karnataka | 8.14 | 21.05 |
| Kerala | 14.40 | 25.79 |
| Maharashtra | 7.97 | 17.26 |
| Odisha | 7.15 | 18.58 |
| Tripura | 14.02 | 29.21 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 10.88 | 22.39 |
| West Bengal | 16.85 | 35.00 |
| Chhattisgarh | 13.81 | 27.29 |
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli | 11.40 | 21.62 |
| Daman & Diu | 9.93 | 23.93 |
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cast his vote today in Ahmedabad’s Ranip constituency. BJP Chief Amit Shah has cast his vote in the Gandhinagar seat of Gujarat.
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has also cast his vote in the Thiruvananthapuram constituency. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has voted in Bhubaneswar.
The third phase of voting will also decide the fates of Rahul Gandhi, Indian National Congress President, who is contesting from Wayawand, Kerala, Amit Shah (Gandhinagar), Shashi Tharoor (Thiruvananthapuram), Mulayam Singh of Samajwadi Party and Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge along with BJP’s Anantkumar Hegde and Sambi Patra.