Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], May 7 : Gautam Adani, chairman of the Adani Group, exercised his democratic right by casting his vote at a polling booth in the Mahmadpura Primary School, in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, during the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024.
Speaking to reporters after casting his vote, Adani emphasised India's forward march and urged citizens to participate in the democratic process.
"India is progressing forward, and will continue to advance further," he stated.
Adani highlighted the significance of the election day, describing it as a "great festival of democracy."
He said, "Today is this great festival of democracy, and I urge all citizens to come out and cast their vote."
Meanwhile, polling is underway for 93 Lok Sabha seats across 12 states and union territories in the third phase of the general election.
As of 11 am, voter turnout in various states stood as follows: Assam 27.34 per cent, Bihar 24.41 per cent, Chhattisgarh 29.90 per cent, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu 24.69 per cent, Goa 30.94 per cent, Gujarat 24.35 per cent, Karnataka 24.48 per cent, Madhya Pradesh 30.21 per cent, Maharashtra 18.18 per cent, Uttar Pradesh 26.12 per cent, and West Bengal 32.82 per cent.
The states and union territories participating in this phase include Assam (4 seats), 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).
With over 1300 candidates, including approximately 120 women, contesting in this phase, a total of 17.24 crore voters are eligible to cast their votes at 1.85 lakh polling stations.
Additionally, 75 delegates from 23 countries are observing the electoral process.
Voting will not take place for Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat on Tuesday as the Election Commission of India (ECI) has postponed polling to the sixth phase scheduled for May 25.
Originally, voting was planned for 94 Lok Sabha seats in the third phase.
However, due to unforeseen circumstances, elections in the Betul Lok Sabha seat of Madhya Pradesh have been rescheduled from the second to the third phase following the death of the BSP candidate.
In the 2019 general election, the BJP won 72 of the 93 seats that are being contested in this phase. The Lok Sabha elections are being conducted across seven phases from April 19 to June 1, with counting scheduled for June 4.
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