Tomorrow or May 7, 2024 commences the third phase of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024, and a 48-hour silence period  94 Lok Sabha constituencies spread across 12 States and Union Territories commenced at 6 p.m. on May 5 with the conclusion of campaigning for the third phase of the Lok Sabha election.

Polling for more than half of the total number of constituencies will be completed by the end of this phase.

Among the prominent contestants in the fray in the third phase are Union Home Minister Amit Shah (Gandhinagar, Gujarat); Union Minister Pralhad Joshi (Dharwad, Karnataka); Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia (Guna, Madhya Pradesh); former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh); Congress leader Digvijaya Singh (Rajgarh, Madhya Pradesh); Samajwadi Party’s Dimple Yadav (Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh); and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Supriya Sule (Baramati, Maharashtra).

Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 prohibits election campaign activities through public meetings, processions, etc., and display of election matter by means of television and similar platforms, during the silence period.

In a multi-phased election, the silence period of last 48 hours may be on in certain constituencies while campaign is ongoing in other constituencies. In such an event, there should not be any direct or indirect reference amounting to soliciting support for parties or candidates in the constituencies observing the silence period. During the silence period, star campaigners and other political leaders should refrain from addressing the media by way of press conferences and giving interviews on election matters,” according to the Election Commission of India.

The process of filing nominations for the 94 constituencies in the third phase began on April 12. The last date for filing nominations was April 19.

This phase will cover the 25 constituencies of Gujarat, where the BJP candidate from Surat has been elected unopposed; two of Goa (North Goa and South Goa); and the remaining 14 constituencies in Karnataka.