New Delhi: An estimated 50 to 55 per cent of the 10.72 crore electorate today (May 5, 2004) cast their votes in the third phase of Lok Sabha elections to 83 seats in seven States amidst militant violence in Kashmir and clashes between rival groups in Bihar, which claimed three lives and injured several others.

The penultimate round of polls decided the electoral fate of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Lucknow), Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav (Mainpuri), Union Ministers Murli Manohar Joshi (Allahabad), Shahnawaz Hussain (Kishanganj, Bihar), Digvijay Singh (Banka), Prahlad Patel and Congress veteran Kamalnath (Chhindwara), Sharad Yadav and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Laloo Prasad Yadav (Madhepura).

As many as 921 candidates were in the fray for the third phase, which covered 30 out of 80 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 25 seats in Rajasthan, 12 out of 29 constituencies in Madhya Pradesh, the last 12 of 40 seats in Bihar, one each in J and K and Nagaland and two in Arunachal Pradesh.

Elections 2004-The Drama unfolds...

Today's round completed polling in Bihar, Rajasthan, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.

Sporadic violence was reported during elections from Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar and Rajasthan.

While one activist each of RJD and Janata Dal-United (JD-U) were killed in clashes in Bihar, one person died when militants threw a grenade at a polling booth in Anantnag in Jammu and Kashmir.

Nearly 15 per cent of the voters exercised their franchise in Anantnag, where ruling Peoples Democratic Alliance (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti was locked in a triangular contest.