Lok Sabha Elections Phase 2: Over 50% voter turnout till 3 PM

The second phase of the 2024 Indian elections, consisting of seven phases, commenced at 7 am on Friday across 88 constituencies spanning 12 states and one Union territory (Jammu and Kashmir). Notable figures participating in this phase include Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor from the Congress party, both aiming to secure their seats in Kerala's Wayanad and Thiruvananthapuram, respectively. All 20 seats in Kerala are up for voting today.

By 3 pm, voter turnout stood at 50.3% across 13 states and union territories. Notably, Manipur, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Assam, and Tripura witnessed over 53% voter participation.

Tomorrow, significant polling will occur: all 20 seats in Kerala, 14 out of 28 in Karnataka, 13 in Rajasthan, 8 each in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, 7 in Madhya Pradesh, and 5 in Assam and Bihar. Additionally, 3 seats in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, and 1 each in Manipur, Tripura, and Jammu and Kashmir will be contested.

Voter turnout update till 3 pm: 

-Assam: 60.32% 

-Bihar: 44.24% 

-Chhattisgarh: 63.32% 

-Jammu and Kashmir: 57.76% 

-Karnataka: 50.93% 

-Kerala: 51.64% 

-Madhya Pradesh: 46.50% 

-Maharashtra: 43.01% 

-Manipur: 68.48% 

-Rajasthan: 50.27% 

-Tripura: 68.92% 

-Uttar Pradesh: 44.13% 

-West Bengal: 60.60%

Key figures in this phase include Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, BJP's Tejasvi Surya, actors Hema Malini and Arun Govil, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar's brother DK Suresh, and former Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy.

In 2019, NDA secured 56 seats out of 89, with UPA at 24. Notably, six seats have been redrawn through delimitation.

The first phase held last Friday saw a 65.5% turnout across 102 seats in 21 states and Union territories

2024 Lok Sabha Elections: Voter participation rates in key states: 

-Tripura is at the forefront in terms of voter turnout, with a recorded voting percentage of 54.47% until 1 pm.

-By 1 pm, the eight parliamentary constituencies in Uttar Pradesh had registered a voter turnout of 35.73%.

-Until 1 pm on Friday, a voter turnout of 31.77% was recorded in eight constituencies of Maharashtra.

-By 1 pm, a voter turnout of 40.39% was noted across the 13 parliamentary constituencies in Rajasthan.

-Until 1 pm, there was a voter turnout of 33.80% in the five Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar.

During the ongoing elections, the Supreme Court has sent a notification to the Election Commission of India regarding a petition requesting that an election be invalidated if the highest number of voters choose the 'none of the above' (NOTA) option. Under the guidance of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, the bench has directed the poll panel to review the regulations regarding NOTA.