New Delhi: The stage is set for the third phase of Lok Sabha polls in 136 Parliamentary constituencies in 11 States which will decide the fate of Leader of Opposition Sonia Gandhi, her son Rahul Gandhi, National Democratic Alliance (NDA) convenor George Fernandes, Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi and several other leading politicians.

An estimated 17.23 crore voters will seal the fate of 1,278 aspirants, including 60 women, in 1.72 lakh polling booths by pressing the button as votes are being cast over EVMs for the first time in the entire country.

Elections 2004-The Drama unfolds...
Political Parties in India

Tight security arrangements have made and over one lakh Central forces are being deployed to guard against disruptive elements to ensure a peaceful, free and fair poll.

As many as 75,618 booths have been declared sensitive of which 28,119 are hypersensitive and are expected to have additional force strength to prevent any untoward incident.

While the Election Commission has deputed poll observers from outside districts to ensure impartiality, special observers have been deployed in Rae Bareli from where Sonia Gandhi is contesting after her daughter Priyanka Gandhi complained to the poll panel apprehending poll irregularities there.

The elections tomorrow will cover 32 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, 24 of 48 seats in Maharashtra, 21 out of 42 in Andhra Pradesh, 17 out of 40 in Bihar, 13 of the 28 in Karnataka, 10 of the 21 in Orissa, eight in Jharkhand, seven in Assam, two in Goa and one each in Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir. Polling in Silchar (Assam) has been postponed to May 10 because of heavy rains there.