Stones were thrown at a CPM candidate’s car in West Bengal, while technical glitches were reported from five states.
The Lok Sabha elections second phase voting commenced across 11 states and one union territory on April 18. The dramatic election registered a tentative voter turnout of 67.6%, besides faulty EVMs, and violence in West Bengal.
In 2014, the turnout figure of the voters was 69.62%. The mega seven-phase electoral exercise began in the states of Assam, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Manipur, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Bengal, Chhattisgarh, and union territory Puducherry.
Incidents of violence were reported from West Bengal, where stones were hurled at a CPM candidate’s car. He was on his way to cast vote in Patagora of Raigunj constituency. The voters also blocked the National Highway 34, near a booth in Girpar in the same constituency. They claimed that unknown miscreants did not allow them to vote, pushing the police to use batons.
Additionally, the second phase of poll for 95 constituencies witnessed reports of glitches in voting machines. The reports of technical fault came from Assam, Bihar, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.
The highest turnout was reported from Puducherry (78%), Manipur (77.86%), and West Bengal (76.42%). While Bihar, Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir, and Karnataka saw weak number of voters exercising their franchise. Voting in Odisha picked up pace with 53% of the state’s electorate exercising their franchise till 3 pm.
Voting in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore was cancelled earlier after multiple raids conducted alleged use of money to influence voters. Besides, the Election Commission postponed the polling in Tripura (East) to April 23, citing safety reasons.
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