Elections in the world's largest democracy, India, are taking place in seven phases
between April 19 and June 1. The first phase of the election was held on April 19,
with 102 constituencies across 21 states participating. The voter turnout for the
first phase was over 60%.
The second phase of the election, held on April 26, saw 88 constituencies across 13
states and Union Territories participating, with a turnout of 63.50%. Tripura
recorded the highest voter turnout of 79.46% among all the states and territories. In
contrast, Uttar Pradesh recorded the lowest voter turnout.
In the second round of elections in India, which took place on April 26, 2024, a total
of 88 parliamentary seats across 12 states were contested with utmost fervor and
passion. Kerala witnessed voting for all its 20 seats, while 14 out of 28 seats in
Karnataka, 13 in Rajasthan, 8 seats each in Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh, 7 seats
in Madhya Pradesh, 5 seats each in Assam and Bihar, 3 seats each in Chhattisgarh
and West Bengal, and one seat each in Manipur, Tripura, and Jammu and Kashmir
were hotly contested in this phase.
A whopping 158.8 million eligible voters were registered to cast their valuable
votes, with 80.8 million men, 78 million women, and 5,929 third-gender electors.
The young electorate aged between 20-29 years accounted for a staggering 32.8
million voters, including 3.48 million first-time voters.
The second round of elections was undoubtedly a crucial affair, with a considerable
number of seats being contested in various states across the country. The high
turnout of young and first-time voters was indeed noteworthy, and their presence
was sure to make an impact on the outcome of the elections.
The ongoing election phase in India has garnered a lot of attention, with a plethora
of notable candidates vying for parliamentary seats. Among them are Congress
leaders Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor, BJP leader Tejasvi Surya, and Union
Minister Rajeev Chandrashekhar. The list also includes prominent personalities
such as Hema Malini, Arun Govil, and Om Birla, who are all seeking to represent
their respective constituencies in the parliament. In total, there are 1,210 candidates
competing for the available seats, making this one of the most hotly contested
elections in recent years.
On May 7, the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections will take place across 94
constituencies in 12 states of India. The results of the election are expected to be
announced on June 4, creating a sense of anticipation and excitement among the
citizens of India.
Several states experienced severe heat conditions which negatively impacted the
voter turnout. The intense heat wave that gripped Kerala in recent times resulted in
a sudden increase in voter turnout during the late hours. The India Meteorological
Department (IMD) had earlier warned of the heat wave in the Palakkad district.
Despite this, many voters had to endure long waits at certain booths due to technical
glitches. Several people expressed their frustration at the lack of experience of the
polling staff at these booths that caused the delays.
