LS polls Highlights: Nearly 61% turnout recorded in 2nd phase of elections

General Elections 2024 news updates: Polling is currently ongoing in 88 Lok Sabha seats across 13 states and Union Territories. Catch all the latest news here

9:24 PM

Nearly 61% turnout recorded in 2nd phase of elections

Nearly 61 per cent polling was reported in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections covering 88 seats across 13 states amid few complaints of EVM glitches and bogus voting in some states. Voters in some villages of Uttar Pradesh's Mathura, Rajasthan's Banswara and Maharashtra's Parbhani were boycotting the polls over various issues but were later persuaded by authorities to cast their franchise.

8:40 PM

Over 60% voter turnout recorded on 13 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan

Over 60 per cent turnout was recorded in polling for 13 Lok Sabha seats on Thursday in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Rajasthan, according to the latest figures from the Election Commission. Polling had taken place in the first phase on April 19 for the other 12 parliamentary constituencies in the state, which sends 25 representatives to Parliament.

8:18 PM

LS polls: NRIs to hold car rally in support of BJP in Gujarat on April 28

In a first, non-resident Indians (NRIs), including Gujaratis, will hold a car rally from Ahmedabad to Surat as part of their campaign for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Digant Sompura, convenor of the BJP's foreign affairs department, said NRIs and non-resident Gujaratis (NRGs) from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Europe and Africa will participate in the rally on April 28.

8:00 PM

Over 60% voter turnout recorded on 13 Lok Sabha seats in Rajasthan

Over 60 per cent turnout was recorded in polling for 13 Lok Sabha seats on Thursday in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Rajasthan, according to the latest figures from the Election Commission. Polling had taken place in the first phase on April 19 for the other 12 parliamentary constituencies in the state, which sends 25 representatives to Parliament.

7:37 PM

Congress following divide and rule' since Independence: Kishan Reddy

Dubbing the Congress as Italy Congress, Telangana BJP president G Kishan Reddy on Friday alleged that the grand old party is following a divide and rule policy since independence. Addressing a press conference here, Reddy alleged that the present Congress is the "transformation of Jinnah's Muslim League.

7:16 PM

70.6% turnout recorded in five LS seats in Assam till 5 pm

An estimated 70.6 per cent of 77.26 lakh voters exercised their franchise in five Lok Sabha seats in Assam till 5 pm on Friday, election officials said. The turnout was expected to increase as those in queue before 5 pm would be allowed to vote, they said. Polling began at 7 am and no untoward incident was reported so far.

7:07 PM

Jammu LS seat registers over 67% polling till 5 pm

More than 67 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the first four hours of polling in Jammu constituency in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Friday, officials said. The voting began at 7 am in 2,416 polling stations in the constituency and is going on peacefully, the election officials said and added that 67.22 per cent votes were polled till 5 pm. There are more than 17.80 lakh eligible voters in the constituency.

6:37 PM

54.83% polling recorded in six LS seats in MP till 5 pm

At least 54.83 per cent of voters exercised their franchise till 5 pm in six constituencies in Madhya Pradesh in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections on Friday, an official said. The polling began at 7 am and is going on peacefully in six Lok Sabha seats, the state's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Anupam Rajan told PTI.

6:00 PM

Man damages EVM at polling booth by hitting it with iron object; detained

A 26-year-old man allegedly damaged an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) by hitting it with an iron object when he came to cast his vote at a polling booth at Rampuri in Maharashtra's Nanded district on Friday, a police official said. The police detained the man, who told them that he wanted a pro-farmer and pro-labourer government, he said. "The man, Bhaiyyasaheb Edke, is a local resident and a registered voter of Rampuri booth. He came to the polling booth to cast his vote, but damaged an EVM with an iron object. He was immediately detained and the voting process continued soon afterwards as the broken machine was replaced with a new one," Nanded Superintendent of Police (SP) Shrikrushna Kokate told PTI.

5:47 PM

Police books Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate for holding 'padayatra' sans permission in Sangli

The police have registered an offence against Shiv Sena (UBT) Lok Sabha candidate Chandrahar Patil for holding a 'padayatra' (foot march) allegedly without permission in Maharashtra's Sangli district, an official said on Friday. A case under section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant) of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act has been registered against Patil and three organisers, the official said.

5:14 PM

BJP snatched jobs from youth, failed to generate employment: SP chief Akhilesh Yadav

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav today attacked the BJP over the issue of leaked exam papers in Uttar Pradesh and the alleged rising unemployment, accusing the 'double-engine' government of the party of ruining the lives of youths.

Yadav said at an election rally said the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh deliberately leaked exam papers to avoid giving jobs to the youth.

"They have snatched your jobs and failed to generate employment. The youth must think seriously about this, the BJP has ruined one-third of your lives," the SP chief said.

5:01 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: Sunita Kejriwal to lead AAP's nationwide Lok Sabha campaign

Sunita Kejriwal, wife of jailed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, will lead the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in its nationwide Lok Sabha campaign, said the party on Friday. “Sunita ji will enter the fray to seek support from the people of Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana and Punjab by campaigning for AAP candidates," said senior AAP leader Atishi.

4:58 PM

Surat LS candidate whose nomination form was rejected suspended from Cong

The Gujarat Congress today suspended from the party for six years its Surat Lok Sabha candidate Nilesh Kumbhani, whose nomination form was rejected over discrepancies leading to the BJP's Mukesh Dalal getting elected unopposed. A statement from the Congress said the party's disciplinary committee said it had come to the conclusion that the nomination form was rejected because of gross negligence on his part or "in connivance with the BJP".

4:47 PM

Rajya Sabha Sibal slams EC for not sending notice to PM Modi, calls it 'helpless puppet'

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal today stated the Election Commission seeking a response from the BJP instead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the opposition charge that he gave a divisive speech in Rajasthan showed that it is a "helpless puppet". In a post on X, Sibal said, "Election Commission(EC): No 'lal ankh' to Modi. Seeks BJP's response for Modi's openly communal utterances. Shows that EC: helpless puppet; dare not send notice to Modi; ignorant of its own MCC; exposes itself to ridicule."

 

4:14 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024 news update: Tripura records highest voter turnout at 68.92%

4:12 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: 44.24% voter turnout recorded in 5 seats of Bihar till 3 pm

A voter turnout of 44.24 per cent was recorded till 3 pm in the five Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar where polling was underway in the second phase on Friday, officials said.

3:56 PM

India's reputation has improved in last 10 years: PM Modi in Bihar's Munger

3:54 PM

General Elections 2024 updates: BJD MLA Parsuram Dhada joins BJP

BJD lawmaker Parsuram Dhada joined BJP in Bhubaneswa  earlier today in the presence of state party chief Manmohan Samal and former Union Minister Pratap Chandra Sarangi.

3:50 PM

Implementation of UCC in country is BJP's promise and Modi's guarantee: Home Minister Shah in MP's Guna

Home Minister Amit Shah today stated that while the Congress party's poll manifesto promises to retain religious personal law, it is the BJP's promise and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's guarantee to implement a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the country. He was addressing an election rally in support of Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, who is BJP's candidate from the Guna Lok Sabha seat. For the Congress, Muslims have the first right over the country's resources, but for the BJP, the poor, Dalits, Other Backward Classes and tribals have the first right, he stated. 

3:45 PM

BJP got its 'acche din' but where are the 'acche din' it promised: BSP chief Mayawati

 The country's unemployed people and other deprived sections must consider that they have brought "acche din" (good times) to the BJP but "what happened to their much publicised promise to bring acche din to you", BSP chief Mayawati stated today. Like the Congress slogan of "Garibi Hatao", the BJP, too, has failed to keep its promises, the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo added in her post on X as she urged voters to exercise their franchise on the polling day

3:22 PM

Train cancellations sabotage voting plans of many heading to Assam’s Barak Valley

Voters travelling to Assam’s Barak Valley to cast their votes today were affected when nine trains were cancelled and another seven were terminated while on the way on Thursday night and Friday morning. Voting for the two Lok Sabha seats in Assam’s primarily Bengali-speaking Barak Valley — Silchar and Karimganj — is underway today. 

3:17 PM

West Bengal CM Mamata accuses Centre of depriving West Bengal of funds

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today accused the Centre of depriving West Bengal of funds for social welfare schemes and said that her government will arrange the money. Addressing an election rally in support of party candidate Dev in Ghatal, she alleged that the BJP was attempting religious polarisation.

3:01 PM

Opposition must apologize for committing “sin of creating distrust” against EVMs: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today stated that the Supreme Court judgment on cross-verification of votes was a “tight slap” on the Congress-led opposition which must “apologise” for committing the “sin of creating distrust” against Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Addressing an election rally in Araria Lok Sabha constituency in Bihar, he also charged the opposition with trying to "steal" reservations meant for OBCs, SCs and STs "for the sake of their favourite vote bank of Muslims".

2:48 PM

General Elections 2024 updates: 46.31% voter turnout till 1 pm in 5 LS seats of Assam

An estimated 46.31 per cent of 77,26,668 voters exercised their franchise till 1 pm in the five parliamentary constituencies of Assam, where polling is underway in the second phase on Friday, election officials said.

2:41 PM

SC decision on EVMs exposes INDIA bloc parties that tried to defame EC: Law minister Arjun Ram Meghwal

Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court's decision on the use of electronic voting machines in polls and said it has exposed opposition parties, including the Congress, that had left no opportunity to "defame" the Election Commission.

2:22 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: Rajasthan records over 40% voter turnout in 13 constituencies till 1 pm

Over 40 percent voting was registered till 1 pm in 13 Lok Sabha seats of Rajasthan where polling is being held in the second phase today. 40.39 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 1 pm across the 13 parliamentary constituencies. Voting is underway in Barmer-Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Jalore, Chittorgarh, Banswara, Kota-Bundi, Tonk-Sawai Madhopur, Ajmer, Pali, Udaipur, Rajsamand, Kota and Jhalawar-Baran, along with the Bagidora Assembly constituency where a bypoll is underway.

2:19 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024: Village in Maharashtra decides to boycott elections over issue of encroachments

 

Residents of a village in the Parbhani Lok Sabha constituency decided to boycott the elections on Friday to protest against the issue of encroachments, prompting the collector to visit the place and appeal to them.

Polling in Hingoli, Nanded and Parbhani constituencies in Marathwada began today morning.

 

2:09 PM

General Elections 2024 updates:31.77 pc turnout till 1 pm in 2nd phase of LS polls in Maharashtra for 8 seats

A voter turnout of 31.77 per cent was recorded till 1 pm on Friday in eight constituencies of Maharashtra in the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls, officials said.

Voting started at 7 am in Akola, Amravati, Buldhana, Wardha and Yavatmal-Washim seats in the west Vidarbha region and Hingoli, Nanded and Parbhani constituencies in Marathwada, and will end at 6 pm, they said.

1:56 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024 : Tripura voter turnout records highest voter turnout at 54.47%

1:52 PM

Lok Sabha polls 2024 news update: All India voter turnout recorded at 39.1% till 1:00 pm