India goes to the polls

NEW DELHI. – Voting for the third phase of India’s parliamentary elections is under way in 91 constituencies, representing nearly a fifth of the 543-seat in the House of the people.
Nearly 110 million people are eligible to vote in the latest phase spread across 11 of India’s 28 states and three federally administered union territories, including the capital, New Delhi.

Braving the outlawed rebels, people in Maoist-hit areas spread across the states of Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh came out to vote.
“We have come here to vote because we want an eligible leader to be elected who will work for our welfare and progress. Our main priority is to cast votes and then do anything else,” said a voter, Geetanjali, in Gumla district of Jharkhand.

But villagers of Sameli, a small hamlet located in Dantewada district in Chhattisgarh abstained from voting after being intimidated by Maoist rebels, Reuters reported.

According to election officials, only five people came forward to cast their votes till afternoon.
The multi-phase elections will be spread over five weeks until May 12, and results are expected on May 16.

Polling started on April 7 in two small northeastern states and spread across four northeastern states amid tight security on Wednesday.
“A great deal is at stake in these elections, including reputations and political positions,” Al Jazeera’s Sohail Rahman reported from New Delhi.

Security forces have stepped up safety measures to ensure a safe environment for voters. Residents of New Delhi started gathering at the poll stations in the early hours of yesterday under the watchful eye of thousands of police and election authorities.

Improving the economy and infrastructure was an important priority for voters in Delhi’s satellite city.
Rural areas around Gurgaon, one of India’s most modern towns, had seen some effects of growth, but were hoping for more, he said.

Hours before polling started, suspected Maoist rebels blew up a jeep carrying paramilitary soldiers, killing two and wounding three others hours before voting began in the eastern Bihar state, the police said.

The soldiers were patrolling a forest in a rebel stronghold in Munger district when their jeep hit a land mine nearly 225km southeast of Patna, the state capital, police officer Jitendra Rana told the AP news agency.  – Al Jazeera.