The second phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 took place today covering 88 constituencies spanning across 13 states and Union Territories and saw a voter turnout of 63%.
The polling began at 7 am and concluded at 6 pm.
The general elections of the biggest democracy of the world began on April 26 and is yet to witness five more phases of the total seven-phase Lok Sabha elections. The next phases are scheduled for - May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25, and June 1 while the counting of the votes will take place on June 4.
Voter Turnout In States:
According to the latest data (final figures may change after data compilation), the northeast states like Tripura and Manipur saw highest voter turnouts - 79.46 per cent and 77.32 per cent respectively.
While the lowest voter turnout was observed in Uttar Pradesh at 54.85 per cent and Bihar at 55.08 per cent.
Assam- 70.68%
Bihar- 55.08%
Chhattisgarh- 73.62%
Jammu and Kashmir- 71.91 %
Karnataka- 68.30%
Kerala- 65.91%
Madhya Pradesh- 57.88%
Maharashtra- 57.83%
Manipur- 77.32%
Rajasthan- 64.07%
Tripura- 79.46%
Uttar Pradesh- 54.85%
West Bengal- 71.84%
Voting Troubles In Kerala
The election in Kerala was conducted under tight security measures with a few cases of fraudulent voting and technical issues with electronic voting machines (EVMs) reported in certain polling stations.
These incidents caused delays in the voting process at the affected stations.
There were reports of individuals passing away after casting their votes, including one person each in Palakkad, Alappuzha, and Malappuram, as well as a polling agent who collapsed and passed away at a booth in Kozhikode.
The voter turnout was 65.91 per cent in the state.
Reports Of Clash In Other States
Karnataka - Several electronic voting machines were damaged at a polling station in Indiganatha village, located in the Chamarajanagara district of Karnataka, following a dispute between two groups regarding the decision to cast votes.
Authorities have reported that a First Information Report (FIR) is being lodged, and the Election Commission will make a decision based on a comprehensive report.
Rajasthan - According to PTI, incidents of confrontation between the supporters of the Congress candidate and an independent candidate were reported at a couple of places during polling in Barmer-Jaisalmer Lok Sabha constituency of Rajasthan.
Police said they were looking into the complaints besides some about fake voting from some places.
West Bengal - The Election Commission registered nearly 300 complaints in West Bengal, mostly related to EVM malfunctioning.
Voters in some villages of Uttar Pradesh's Mathura, Rajasthan's Banswara and Maharashtra's Parbhani were boycotting the polls over various issues but were later persuaded by authorities to cast their franchise, reported PTI.
Case Against BJP Candidate Tejasvi Surya
The Election Commission stated that a complaint was filed against Tejasvi Surya, the BJP MP and Bangalore South Candidate, for reportedly sharing a video on a social media platform and seeking votes based on religious grounds.
Surya was one of the candidates in fray in today's voting phase.
Citizens Encouraged Each Other To Vote
Some eateries in Bangalore were providing complimentary dosas, laddu, coffee, and other food items at reduced prices to customers who voted.
A private medical facility facilitated 41 hospitalized patients in casting their votes with the support of the city's civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and smooth passages for ambulances were established throughout the constituencies to to ensure easy, hassle-free voting.
Important News Events
Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Election Commission of India (ECI) on a plea seeking direction to frame rules to the effect that if NOTA (None Of The Above) gets a majority, the election held in the particular constituency shall be declared null and void and a fresh election shall be conducted to the constituency.
The Supreme Court on Friday rejected requests for paper ballot voting and also turned down pleas for complete EVM-VVPAT verification and physical deposit of VVPAT slips.
A group of petitions had requested 100% cross-verification of votes cast through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT).
Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta delivered two concurring verdicts on the matter. Justice Khanna, while pronouncing the judgement, stated that the court has rejected all the petitions, including those advocating a return to ballot papers in elections.
The third phase of elections for 94 seats across 12 states and Union territories will be held on May 7.
