The third phase polling of the 16th Lok Sabha election and assemblies in a few Indian states on 10 April 2014 witnessed a record voter turnout. The voting was held in 91 Lok Sabha constituencies spread across 11 states and three union territories.
Lakshadweep recorded 80 percent of voter turnout and Naxal-hit Bastar district in Chhattisgarh saw a turnout of 51.49 per cent, reported The Hindustan Times. However, two CRPF men and a police constable were killed in Naxal-related violence in Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Bihar.
Compared to last elections, the polling turnout on Thursday was more, said election authorities. India's capital Delhi recorded 64.77 per cent of voter turnout, where polling was held for seven Lok Sabha seats. The percentage is the highest in the 15 Lok Sabha constituencies, where voting was held in the last two phases.
In the last Lok Sabha election in 2009, the voting percentage was 51.85 in Delhi and in 1977 election it was 74 per cent. The election was held after Indira Gandhi lifted the emergency.
Third phase of this year's general election covered 20 seats in Kerala, 10 seats each in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Maharashtra and Odisha, nine seat in Madhya Pradesh, six seats in Bihar, four seats in Jharkhand, one each in Chhattisgarh, Jammu, Chandigarh, Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which saw the record voter turnout of 71.34 per cent, higher than the last term percentage of 64.15.
Lakshadweep's 71.34 percentage of voter turnout is lower than the last term percentage of 85.98.
While Odisha registered 67 per cent of voting, voters boycotted polling in several places in Hinjali constituency, from where the State Chief Minister Navin Patnaik is contesting.
Naxal violence marred Bihar on the eve of the polling, where the two CRPF men were killed and another four security men severely injured in a landmine blast in Jamui district, according to HT. Naxals are suspected to be behind the killings. The incident took place at 5.30 am. Polls were postponed in 19 booths in the district, two booths in Navada and one polling booth in Gaya.
In Chhattisgarh, Naxals attacked police in Gadiran police limits of Sukma district, where one constable was injured severely. Police defused hidden bombs in several places in the state.
In Odisha, the Naxals created havoc by torching a truck and smashed electronic voting machines (EVMs) in Chitrakonda area of Malkanagiri district.
(Edited by Vanilla Sharma)
