oday marks the second phase of Lok Sabha elections, with brisk polling reported across the nation. A total of 88 Parliamentary Constituencies spread over 12 States and the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir are up for grabs in this phase.
Key states in this phase include Kerala with 20 seats, Karnataka with 14, Rajasthan with 13, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra with 8 each, Madhya Pradesh with 6, Assam and Bihar with 5 each, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh with 3 each, and 1 seat each in Manipur, Tripura, and Jammu and Kashmir. Notably, the polling for the Betul (ST) Parliamentary Constituency in Madhya Pradesh has been postponed to the third phase due to the demise of the BSP candidate.
Voting commenced at 7 AM in most constituencies and will conclude at 6 PM, although timings vary in North Eastern States and areas affected by Left-Wing Extremism.
Reports from various parts of the country indicate long queues of voters at polling booths, with particular enthusiasm observed among youth and women voters.
Among the notable candidates whose political fate hangs in the balance today are Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Tejasvi Surya, Hema Malini, Arun Govil, and Om Birla from BJP. From Congress, candidates include Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor, DK Suresh, and former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy of JDS. A total of 1,202 candidates, along with four candidates from the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha constituency, are contesting in this phase.