The fate of 1,567 candidates contesting 107 seats across nine states and two Union territories was sealed in electronic voting machines as searing heat limited the turnout to 50% in the third phase of polling for the Lok Sabha election on Thursday. Polling in the first two phases was around 60%.
The third phase, like the second, was largely peaceful. The first had seen large-scale naxalite violence, which claimed 18 lives. Few clashes were reported in the third phase in Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal, where tribals boycotted polling in Darjeeling, Balurghat and Jhargram Lok Sabha constituencies.
Among those in the fray on Thursday were Congress president Sonia Gandhi, BJP’s prime ministerial candidate LK Advani and Jaswant Singh, and former prime minister HD Devegowda of the JD(S).
While the average polling was 50, some states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat and Maharashtra recorded 43% to 49%.
Final figures may go up a few notches after the computation by Friday, deputy chief election commissioner R Balakrishnan said. He did not rule out hot and humid conditions preventing voters from turning out in big numbers. “There is no way polling could have been averted though ample arrangements had been made, including providing drinking water at polling stations,” he said.
Colleague JP Jaiprakash said areas that went to the polls on Thursday had a history of low turnouts. Uttar Pradesh (44.6%) and Madhya Pradesh (47.7%) recorded low polling in the third phase in 2004 as well.
Among states that went to the polls on Thursday, Maharashtra reported the lowest turnout (43-45%).
In Gujarat, a complaint was lodged against Union textile minister Shankar-sinh Vaghela’s son Mansinh and another Congress leader for alleged violence in which two nodal officers and two BJP workers were injured in Sehra taluka.
While the poll boycott call by separatists in Anantnag kept turnout low (26%), a call by naxalites in Bengal and Bihar saw no polling in 125 booths.
Voters have given their verdict in 372 of 543 Lok Sabha seats. Two phases are to be held on May 7 and 13 before counting is taken up on May 16.
