Millions of people have cast their ballots in India’s third of a seven-phase general election. It took place in eleven states and union territories. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking a third term, cast his vote in Ahmedabad.

Gujarat

Millions of people participated in the third phase of India's general election, which unfolded across eleven states and union territories. This stage is part of a broad, seven-phase electoral process aimed at determining the country's next parliament. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking re-election for a third term, was among the voters, casting his ballot in Ahmedabad, his home state of Gujarat.

In this latest phase, nearly 300 parliamentary constituencies have cast their votes, accounting for more than half of the total parliamentary seats. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), currently governing, fielded the majority of candidates during this round. The party aims to repeat its 2019 performance when it won a significant majority in these regions.

The electoral process has sparked debates and controversies, reflecting the vibrant and complex nature of India's democracy. Prime Minister Modi praised the electoral system and the Election Commission for their contributions to this "festival of democracy." However, the Commission faces criticism for its perceived inaction against hate speech. A notable incident involved the BJP in Karnataka releasing an animated video that was accused of targeting a specific community, leading to the Election Commission ordering its removal after a complaint by the Congress party.

Amidst these electoral battles, the issues most important to the voters seem to diverge from the political rhetoric. Many expressed concerns over unemployment and the rising cost of living, underlining the economic challenges facing India. As the country continues through the remaining phases of the election, these issues remain at the forefront of the electorate's mind, with many hoping for change that would address these critical economic challenges.



Millions vote in third phase of India's national elections

In round three of India's seven-phase general elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi cast his ballot in his home state of Gujarat. Nearly 300 parliamentary constituencies have now voted for their representatives. That's more than half the total. The governing BJP fielded most candidates in this latest phase. In 2019, the party swept the region, winning a majority of votes. This election, Modi is seeking a third term. This year, in a way, is a festival of democracy in India and around the world. India's developed whatever good things there are in the world in its electoral system. And I believe the election commission deserves a lot of praise for this. But the election commission is being criticised for failing to act against hate speech. Ahead of the third phase, the BJP in Karnataka shared this 17-second animated video on social media. It shows opposition leader Rahul Gandhi distributing federal funds to Muslims. The election commission has now ordered X to remove the video after a complaint by the Congress. Earlier, Modi referred to Muslims as infiltrators during a campaign rally. In response, the Kerala unit of the Congress party shared a screenshot of an online order for a human backbone, saying the election commission needed to toughen up and act against the prime minister and his party. BJP tried to do a psychological mind game by basically giving the clarion call of 400 plus seats and opposition did a tit for tat on 400 saying that why do they need these many seats if they come with this kind of brute majority, they are going to make fundamental changes to our constitution and to our society. This is basically an effect of polarisation. At voting booths, it seems what's on the minds of voters is far from the rhetoric of politicians. Many say they want the government to tackle unemployment and the rising cost of living. The situation is very bad. It's almost like industries are shutting down. The government has provided no benefits. There should be change. That's what I want. The issues are rising prices and unemployment. There is no work. Children are roaming around aimless and jobless. The next phase of elections will take place on May 13. Nearly a billion people are eligible to vote during a six-week period. The results are expected on June 4 and many hope the outcome will bring more employment and reduce the cost of living.

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