Indian PM Modi Calls Upon Youth to Vote in Large Numbers as Third Phase of Assembly Election Begins

10:40 GMT, 20 February 2022

Sangeeta Yadav

Over 20.16 million voters in Uttar Pradesh state and 20.14 million voters in Punjab will be casting their votes on Sunday in the third phase of the seven-phase Assembly elections in India. The counting of votes in Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Uttarakhand, Punjab and Manipur states will take place on 10 March.

Sputnik

As voting for the third phase of Assembly polls begins in India's Punjab and Uttar Pradesh states on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is calling upon people, especially young and first-time voters, to vote in large numbers.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Home Minister Amit Shah, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president JP Nadda and several other politicians emphasised that every single vote counts, and urged the people of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab states to cast their vote to maintain development and prosperity in the states.

BJP President JP Nadda

Home Minister of india Amit Shah

From first-time voters and young people to housewives and the elderly, a large number of people have been turning up at the polling stations in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh states to exercise their right to vote.

In one instance, a newly-married couple headed straight to the polling station from their wedding to cast their votes.

A large number of people from UP and Punjab states can be seen lining up to cast their votes at the polling stations.

To help elderly people from the villages come out and cast their votes, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel have been allotted to carry them to the polling stations.