55 pc Voters Cast Franchise in Phase II

In by and large peaceful elections, about 55 percent voters exercised their franchise in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections spread across 12 states, the Election Commission said. The minor incidences of violence occurred in Assam, Jharkhand, Bihar and Andhra Pradesh.

The states in which voting took place on Thursday were Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Goa, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. In the phase, a total of 2,034 candidates were in the fray. Despite the searing heat, there were long queues at most of the 222,350 polling centres.

Polling stations in 140 constituencies across 12 states opened at 0700 hours IST for the second round of the five-phase elections that conclude on May 13. Tens of thousands of the 194 million electorate queued up at many of the 2, 22,350 polling stations to choose their nominees in the Lok Sabha from amongst the 2,034 candidates in the fray.

Voting was also underway for the last of the two-phase Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh and Orissa.

Despite Maoists strikes in Jharkhand, 18 to 26 pc voters utilized their right to vote in 8 out 14 constituencies which went to poll today. While in 13 constituencies of Bihar, 32 pc people turned out to vote.

In 13 out 29 constituencies of Madhya Pradesh, 45 pc voting turn-out was recorded. Karnataka recorded 55-60 pc voter turn out in its 17 out of 28 Lok Sabha seats while in Assam’s 11 parliamentary segment, 48 pc voters came out of their homes to cast votes.

There was trouble in Andhra Pradesh, too, with activists of the ruling Congress, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and superstar Chiranjeevi’s Praja Rajyam Party clashing at several places. Tripura recorded the highest turn-out of 75 pc for its two Lok Sabha seats.