Lok Sabha polls: Tripura records 68.92 pc voter turnout till 3 pm, Maharashtra at lowest with 43.01 pc

NEW DELHI: Tripura is leading the voter turnout charts as 68.92 per cent voting percentage was recorded in the State till 3 pm as per the data released by the Election Commission of India on Friday.

Other States where higher voter turnout has been recorded are -- Manipur (68.48 per cent), Chhattisgarh (63.92 per cent), West Bengal (60.60 per cent), and Assam (60.32 per cent).

So far, Maharashtra has registered the lowest voting percentage in phase 2 of Lok Sabha polls with 43.01 per cent till 3 pm.

According to the poll body data, Bihar has registered a 44.24 per cent voter turnout, Jammu and Kashmir (57.76 per cent), Karnataka (50.93 per cent), Kerala (51.64 per cent), Madhya Pradesh (46.68 per cent), Rajasthan (50.27 per cent), Uttar Pradesh (44.13 per cent).

Voting for the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 began at 7 am on Friday across 88 Parliamentary Constituencies spread over 12 States and Union Territories.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is seeking his third consecutive term, while the opposition bloc-INDIA- a coalition of opposing parties formed to take on the BJP in the general elections, is eyeing to oust him from power.

Due to the severe heat, the polling time has been extended till 6 pm in many polling stations in Banka, Madhepura, Khagaria and Munger constituencies in Bihar to facilitate voters coming to the voting booths.

Polling for 29-Betul PC in Madhya Pradesh was rescheduled to the third phase due to the death of a candidate from the Bahujan Samaj Party.

The polling for 102 seats in phase one was completed on April 19.34.8 lakh first-time voters have registered to cast their votes.

Additionally, there are 3.28 crore young voters in the age group 20-29 years. 1,202 candidates (males: 1098; females: 102; third gender: 02) are in the fray. The elections are being held in 7 phases with the results due on June 4.