Lok Sabha Elections Phase 3: Amid the ongoing polling for the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi cast his vote at Nishan Higher Secondary School in Ahmedabad. Draped in his customary Kurta Payjama and saffron-coloured half jacket, he also showed the indelible ink mark on his finger after casting his vote. Upon reaching the polling booth, the Prime Minister was welcomed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
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PM Modi greets people
Before casting his vote, the Prime Minister was seen greeting people at the polling centre. He also clicked a picture with a young girl outside his polling booth at Nishan Higher Secondary School in Ahmedabad. An elderly woman also tied rakhi to PM Modi as he greeted people.
'Matdaan is Mahadaan': PM Modi
Speaking to the media exercising his franchise, the Prime Minister also 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. PM Modi also said the way the Indian elections are being conducted could be a learning process for other democracies, and it has been the subject of case study for many universities. Loktantra me matdaan saamanya daan nahi hai...Matdaan is Mahadaan (voting is a great gift)... There is great importance of 'Daan' in our country and in the same spirit, the countrymen should vote as much as possible," he added.
PM Modi urges people to vote in record numbers
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi urged people to vote in record numbers. He posted in different languages on his X account, urging people to exercise their franchise. "Urging all those who are voting in today’s phase to vote in record numbers. Their active participation will certainly make the elections more vibrant," the PM's post read.
The polling started for 93 Lok Sabha seats across 12 states and union territories in the third phase of the general election on Tuesday at 7:00 am. The states and union territories where the elections are being held in this phase are Assam (4), Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (7), Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (2), Goa (2), Gujarat (25), Karnataka (14), Maharashtra (11), Madhya Pradesh (8), Uttar Pradesh (10) and West Bengal (4). The BJP has bagged the Surat seat unopposed.
Lok Sabha Elections 2024
It should be noted here that a total of 17.24 crore voters are eligible to cast their franchise in this phase at 1.85 lakh polling stations. Seventy-five delegates from 23 countries will see the poll process. The Lok Sabha elections are being held across seven phases, from April 19 to June 1. The counting is scheduled for June 4. The Narendra Modi-led BJP is seeking a third term in power, while the opposition INDIA bloc is aiming to wrest power by stopping the juggernaut.
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