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

Around 10.78 per cent of over 98 lakh voters exercised their franchise in five Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar till 9 am on Tuesday, an election official said.

Supaul recorded the highest turnout of 11.41 per cent, followed by Araria (10.97), Madhepura (10.71), and 10.41 per cent each in Khagaria and Jhanjharpur till 9 am.

The electoral fate of 54 candidates will be decided in the third phase of polling in Bihar.

An approximate voter turnout of 10.81 per cent was recorded in the first two hours of polling in 93 constituencies spread over 11 states and Union Territories on Tuesday in the third phase of the Lok Sabha polls.

Polling began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm.

According to the Election Commission, Maharashtra witnessed the lowest voting percentage till 9 am with 6.64 per cent voters exercising their franchise, while West Bengal recorded the highest in the first two hours with 15.85 per cent.

Among other states, Assam recorded 10.12 per cent, Bihar 10.41 per cent, Chhatisgarh 13.24 per cent, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu 10.13 per cent, Goa 13.02 per cent, Gujarat 9.87 per cent, Karnataka 9.45 per cent, Madhya Pradesh 14.43 per cent and Uttar Pradesh 12.94 per cent, the EC said.

Around 10.12 per cent of 81.49 lakh voters exercised their franchise in the first two hours of polling in four Lok Sabha constituencies in Assam on Tuesday, an election official said.

Dhubri recorded the highest polling percentage of 10.75, followed by Guwahati (10.38), Kokrajhar (9.77) and Barpeta (9.26) till 9 am.

Sparse queues were seen in front of the 9,516 polling stations in the early hours of voting, owing to heavy rain on Monday night, but voting is expected to pick up as the day progresses, he said.

The two women candidates of Guwahati seat — Bijuli Kalita Medhi of the BJP and Mira Borthakur Goswami of the Congress — Guwahati's sitting BJP MP Queen Oja and Kokrajhar's Congress candidate Garjen Mushahary were among those who exercised their franchise in the early hours of voting.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is scheduled to cast his vote later in the day at Amingaon in Barpeta Lok Sabha seat.

Dhubri has the highest electorate of 26,63,987, while Kokrajhar has the lowest of 14,94,404 voters in this phase.