Voting for the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections commenced at 7 am and concluded at 6 pm amidst sweltering heat conditions across several states.
The second phase encompassed 88 parliamentary constituencies spanning 12 states and a union territory. The Election Commission (EC) reported a turnout of 63.50 per cent, with polling largely characterised as peaceful.
At 8 pm, the tentative voter turnout stood at 63.50 per cent, with expectations of a slight increase as reports from all polling stations are compiled. Notably, voters arriving until the end of polling hours were permitted to cast their votes.
Despite overall calm, initial reports indicated pockets of reluctance among voters in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura, Rajasthan's Banswara, and Maharashtra's Parbhani. However, authorities successfully persuaded these communities to participate in the democratic process.
The electoral landscape encompassed diverse regions, including Kerala, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Manipur, Tripura, and Jammu and Kashmir.
Key highlights: Several significant trends emerged from the polling data:
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- Tripura triumph: Tripura registered the highest voter turnout at 79.46 per cent, closely followed by Manipur at 77.32 per cent.
- Uttar Pradesh lags: Uttar Pradesh recorded the lowest participation rate at 54.85 per cent, marking a 7 per cent decrease from the 2019 elections.
- Rahul Gandhi's stronghold: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Wayanad constituency in Kerala boasted a robust turnout of 72.70 per cent.
- Assam's involvement: Over 71.11 per cent of Assam's eligible voters cast their ballots across the state's five parliamentary constituencies.
- State-specific turnouts: Notable turnout figures include:
- In Madhya Pradesh, the voter participation rate stood at 57.88 per cent.
- Maharashtra and Rajasthan witnessed turnouts of 57.83 per cent and 64.07 per cent, respectively.
- Jammu and Kashmir reported a turnout of 71.91 per cent, while West Bengal saw a participation rate of 71.84 per cent.
- Challenges in Uttar Pradesh: Despite historical trends, Uttar Pradesh's Gautam Buddh Nagar constituency experienced a turnout of only 53.30 per cent, indicating a decline compared to previous elections.
- Bengaluru's participation: In Bengaluru, approximately half of the electorate abstained from voting, particularly evident in urban constituencies such as Bangalore Central, Bangalore North, and Bangalore South.
- Bengal reports EVM malfunctions: The Election Commission received nearly 300 complaints in West Bengal, primarily related to Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) malfunctions.
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