LIVE | Phase 3 of Lok Sabha polls records 61.78% voter turnout

A total of 965 Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) components -- control units, VVPATs and ballot units -- were replaced due to malfunctioning in the third and last phase of polling across the four Lok Sabha seats in Assam on Tuesday, officials said.

In several cases, the components were replaced as the complete EVM set, while it was changed in parts in most of the cases after snags were detected, a senior official of the Election Department told PTI on condition of anonymity.

Several of these glitches were noticed during the mock polling, which started 90 minutes before the commencement of the actual voting, and those machines were replaced accordingly, he added.

An EVM has three components -- Control Unit (CU), Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) and Ballot Unit (BU).

"In the four constituencies, 259 CUs, 447 VVPATs and 259 BUs were replaced in total from different machines," the official said.

Out of these, 147 CUs, 210 VVPATs and 147 BUs were replaced during the mock poll after they malfunctioned, the official said.

"During the actual poll, 112 CUs, 237 VVPATs and 112 BUs were changed. After replacing the machines, the polling continued smoothly," he added.

As per the data compiled from all the constituencies, the highest 280 units of the three components combined together were replaced in Dhubri, followed by 265 units in Barpeta, 226 units in Guwahati and 194 units in Kokrajhar.

There are a total of 9,516 polling stations, including 300 critical ones, in the third phase. Out of the total booths, 326 are managed by women and 14 by persons with disabilities (PwD). There are also 84 model polling stations.

A total of 81,49,091 electors, including 41,00,544 men, 40,48,436 women and 111 third gender are eligible to vote in the third phase of polling in Assam.

There are 1,529 centenarians, 40,705 voters above 85 years and 2,10,177 people are first time voters.

A total of 47 candidates, including six women, are in the fray in the four constituencies -- Guwahati, Barpeta, Dhubri and Kokrajhar (ST). 

The third phase of Lok Sabha polls in Bengal's four parliamentary constituencies was peaceful barring a few incidents of violence, with a voter turnout of nearly 74 per cent recorded till 5 pm, officials said.

The TMC, the BJP, and the Congress-CPI(M) alliance lodged separate complaints related to poll violence, voter intimidation, and assaults on poll agents in the first few hours of polling, sources in the parties said.

The EC received 433 complaints till 5 PM, most of which were from Murshidabad and Jangipur constituencies.

According to officials, around 73.93 per cent, polling was reported till 5 pm, with Jangipur recording 72.13 per cent, followed by Maldaha Dakshin (73.68), Murshidabad (76.49) and Maldaha Uttar (73.30).

Besides, 73.68 per cent of voting was recorded in the assembly by-poll in Murshidabad's Bhagawangola.

Voting commenced at 7 am and concluded at 6 pm.

Sources suggest the turnout may increase as long queues were observed outside polling booths at 6 pm.

All four seats are minority-dominated, with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) holding Murshidabad and Jangipur, while the BJP has Maldaha North, and Maldaha South is represented by the Congress.

In the Murshidabad seat, Left-Congress combine candidate Mohammed Salim claimed that he caught hold of a "fake booth agent" in the Rabinagar area of the constituency.

In that area, Salim was greeted with "go back" slogans as he tried to enter a booth following allegations of CPI(M) booth agents being heckled by alleged TMC goons.

"The TMC has unleashed a reign of terror in the entire constituency. Strict action must be taken by the Election Commission," Salim said.

Salim was seen shuttling from one booth to another as allegations of intimidation of voters surfaced in the area.

TMC spokesperson Riju Dutta, however, said, "The goons of CPI(M) and Congress tried to intimidate the voters. There has been resistance from the masses." In the Karimpur area of the seat, clashes were reported between the TMC and the CPI(M) supporters outside a few booths. Clashes were also reported between the TMC and the Congress activists from the Domkol area.

In the Jangipur area, BJP candidate Dhanajoy Ghosh faced protests by TMC cadres as he tried to enter some of the booths in the constituency.

A scuffle broke out between Ghosh and TMC block president Goutam Ghosh with the former alleging the latter was intimidating voters outside a polling station.

"If such hooliganism continues, there could be a rerun of Cooch Behar's Sitalkuchi incident," he said.

Ghosh was referring to the Sitalkuchi firing incident in the 2021 assembly polls when four people were killed after central forces opened fire to control a mob near a booth.

The TMC has complained to the EC against Ghosh, accusing him of intimidating voters.

"@BJP4India's thirst for violence never ends! Their MP candidate from Jangipur, Dhananjay Ghosh, stormed in with CRPF thugs and harassed our Block President. @ECISVEEP, when will you grow a spine and stand against this hooliganism?" the AITC posted on X.

In the Englishbazar area in Maldaha Dakshin seat, the BJP accused the TMC of beating up their booth agents, similar complaints were lodged by the Congress against the state's ruling party from the Ratua area in Malda.

The BJP nominee of the constituency, Sreerupa Mitra Chaudhury, was seen engaged in arguments with TMC workers at several booths.

In some areas, TMC workers staged protests following allegations that central forces were assisting BJP workers in intimidating voters at some booths in the Maldaha North constituency.

The state BJP remains hopeful of retaining the Maldaha North seat and winning the remaining three seats and expressed satisfaction with the overall voting process.

“The TMC attempted to manipulate voters. However, they seem to have fallen short. We remain optimistic after the voter turnout in all the four seats,” said BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya.

TMC spokesperson Santanu Sen said, “Despite threats by the opposition BJP, Congress and the Left, the electorate has been able to cast their vote.” “We are confident of winning all the four Lok Sabha seats,” he said.

Altogether 73,37,651 voters, including 36,12,395 women and 154 belonging to the third gender, are eligible to exercise their franchise. Voting began at 7 am and will continue until 6 pm. 

Altogether 73.93 per cent of the 73.37 lakh voters exercised their franchise till 5 pm in four seats of West Bengal in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Tuesday, a poll official said.

Murshidabad registered the highest voter turnout of 76.49 per cent followed by Maldaha Dakshin (73.68 pc), Maldaha Uttar (73.30 pc), and Jangipur (72.13 pc).

Bhagawangola assembly seat in Murshidabad district, where a bypoll is held, recorded a turnout of 73.68 per cent till 3pm, the official said.

Altogether 73,37,651 voters, including 36,12,395 women and 154 belonging to the third gender, are eligible to exercise their franchise.

A total of 57 candidates are in the fray in the four constituencies.

To ensure free and fair polling, the Election Commission has deployed 334 companies of central forces along with 13,600 state police personnel.

Over 74 per cent of the 81.49 lakh voters exercised their franchise till 5 pm on Tuesday in four Lok Sabha constituencies in the third and final phase of elections in Assam, an official said.

Dhubri recorded the highest polling percentage at 79.70, followed by Barpeta at 76.20, Kokrajhar at 74.24 and Guwahati at 67.68 per cent, the lowest.

Overall voter turnout recorded till 5 pm in the four Lok Sabha seats was 74.86 per cent, the official said.

The turnout was expected to rise as people, who entered the polling stations before 5 pm, the closing time for voting, will be allowed to exercise their franchise.

There are 47 candidates in the fray in the final phase of Lok Sabha elections in the state.

Altogether 81,49,091 voters, including 40,48,436 women and 111 belonging to the third gender, are eligible to exercise their franchise in 9,516 polling stations.

Voting, which began at 7 pm, was slow in the initial hours due to heavy rain in several parts of the constituencies but picked up as the day progressed.