As many as 1,351 candidates from 12 states and union territories are in the fray for the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections on May 7, the Election Commission said on Tuesday.

These include eight candidates from Betul seat of Madhya Pradesh, where the election was to be held in the second phase but was postponed to the third following the death of the BSP candidate, the EC said in a statement.

BJP candidate from Surat seat in Gujarat Mukesh Dalal has been elected unopposed.

The last date for the withdrawal of candidature for all 12 states and union territories was April 22.

A total of 2,963 nominations were filed for 95 seats, including Betul.

After the scrutiny of all nominations, 1,563 were found to be valid.

In the third phase, Gujarat had the maximum of 658 nomination forms from 26 parliamentary constituencies, followed by Maharashtra with 519 nominations from 11 seats, according to the EC.

Osmanabad constituency in Maharashtra received the maximum of 77 nomination forms, followed by Bilaspur seat in Chhattisgarh with 68 nomination forms, the poll panel said.

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