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

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, his wife Sunetra Pawar, who is the NCP candidate from the Baramati Lok Sabha seat, and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar cast their votes in the constituency on Tuesday morning.

In Baramati, NCP (SP) head Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule is pitted against Sunetra Pawar.

Sharad Pawar was welcomed with the traditional ‘aarti’ as he arrived at a polling booth in Malegaon area of Baramati constituency in Pune district.

The veteran politician stood in a queue before casting his vote at the booth. He later left for his Govindbaug residence near Baramati.

Ajit Pawar and Sunetra Pawar cast their votes at a polling booth in Katewadi area of Baramati.

The district administration has made elaborate arrangements for polling in Baramati, where there are more than 23 lakh eligible voters.

Talking to reporters after casting his vote, Ajit Pawar, the estranged nephew of Sharad Pawar, said he has been maintaining it is not a contest between family members, but the other side is propagating that it is about the family and trying to show they are together against him.

"I want to make it clear that the senior most family member in the Pawar family is my mother Ashatai Anantrao Pawar, who is with me and the three of us today exercised our voting right," he said.

Refuting NCP (SP) leader Rohit Pawar's charge of money distribution in Bhor area of Baramati constituency, the deputy CM said it is the Election Commission's task to look into such things.

"I have personally contested elections seven times and never indulged in such practices. Right from the beginning of the campaign, some sections of the opposition have been making such allegations against me but I don't pay any heed to it," he said.

The person who is making such allegations has "lost his balance", the NCP leader claimed.

"I don't think I should give any importance to such a person," he said.

Ajit Pawar said the opposition leaders have sensed a "different" result and that is why they are making such allegations out of desperation.

PM Narendra Modi on Tuesday congratulated the Election Commission for conducting the first two phases of Lok Sabha polls with hardly any violence and asked the people to come out in large numbers to vote.

He said violence during elections was very common in the past.

After casting his vote at Nishan School in Ranip area of Ahmedabad city under the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency in Gujarat, PM Modi also said the way the Indian elections are being conducted could be a learning process for other democracies.

“Matdaan samanya daan nahi hai, hamare desh main daan ka mahatva hai (voting is not a common gift, in our country importance is given to donation). People of the country should vote in large numbers keeping this feeling in their hearts,” Modi told reporters.

The third phase of voting is underway on Tuesday and campaigning will go on for almost three weeks and four more phases of polling, he noted.

"As a voter from Gujarat, I have been voting here (Nishan School) for the last many years, and our Amitbhai (Shah) is the BJP candidate from here," Modi said.

"Today is the day of celebration of democracy. I congratulate the Election Commission, security forces and officials involved in conducting the first two phases of polls almost violence-free. In the past, violence during elections was very common," he said.

Modi also congratulated the Election Commission for conducting the polls in a voter-friendly manner.

"The conduct of our election, our election management is such that it can be a learning process for other democracies. Big universities of the world should carry out a case study on the Indian elections," he said.

"This year, almost 64 countries in the world are going to polls. There should be a comparison of elections between India and other countries. This year's festival of democracy is not only in India but around the world," Modi said.

Modi congratulated the Election Commission for adopting good poll practices from the world in the elections in India.

He also lauded the EC for adopting modern technology for conducting the polls.

An estimated 9.45 percent turnout was reported during the first two hours since voting began for the second phase of Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka in 14 constituencies.

Queues were seen at polling booths in most of these Lok Sabha segments in the northern districts of state with voters, mostly senior citizens, morning walkers and joggers, lining up to cast their votes early, with temperature expected to rise as the day progresses.

Voter turnout till 9 am was about 9.45 per cent, election officials said.

Out of 14 segments that are going to polls today, highest turnout of 11.39 per cent was recorded in Shimoga, followed by Uttara Kannada at 11.07 per cent, and least 8.27 per cent in Raichur.

Former Chief Ministers Basavaraj Bommai and Jagadish Shettar, who are also BJP's candidates from Haveri and Belgaum segments respectively, Karnataka Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti, suspended BJP leader and independent candidate from Shimoga KS Eshwarappa, Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar along with son and Belgaum Congress candidate Mrinal Hebbalkar were among the prominent people who cast their votes.

Polling was underway peacefully in four Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal as 15.85 per cent turnout was recorded till 9 am on Tuesday, a poll 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.

Voters were seen lining up outside the 7,360 polling stations in the four parliamentary constituencies of Maldaha Uttar, Maldaha Dakshin, Murshidabad and Jangipur, he said.

“Polling has been more or less peaceful so far. A total of 15.85 per cent turnout has been recorded till 9 am,” the official told PTI.

Jangipur recorded the highest turnout of 16.95 per cent, followed by Maldaha Dakshin (16.33), Maldaha Uttar (15.33) and Murshidabad (14.87), he said.

So far, 182 complaints have been lodged with the CEO of West Bengal, he added.

"We have disposed of 16 of those complaints. We are looking to address the remaining complaints. Our officials are keeping a close watch on the proceedings," he said.

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