Lok Sabha Elections 2019 LIVE: 66% turnout in 2nd phase amid violence

Voting for Lok Sabha Polls 2019 Phase 2 will decide the fate of 1,644 candidates. Catch general elections 2019 live updates

Lok Sabha Elections 2019 LIVE updates: Voting for second Phase of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections 2019 is being held in 95 constituencies across 12 states and one union territory today. The states that will go into polls today are Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipura, Tripura and Puducherry.

ALSO READ: Rallies matter even in election 2019

Among the key contestants in the fray are Sarbananda Sonowal, Atul Bora, K. Palaniswami, O. Panneerselvam, Ram Shinde, Hema Malini, Verappa Moily, Raj Babbar, Jual Oram, Sadananda Gowda, Pon Radhakrishnan, H D Deve Gowda, Farooq Abdullah, Dayanidhi Maran, A Raja, Kanimozhi.

Voter turnout update till 3 pm in Phase 2 of Lok Sabha Elections 2019: Maharashtra - 46.63%, Tamil Nadu - 52.02%, Odisha - 53%, Manipur - 67.5%, Uttar Pradesh - 50.39%, Chhattisgarh - 59.72%, Karnataka - 49.26%

 

9:45 PM

66% voter turnout recorded in phase 2

66% voter turnout was recorded in the second phase of Lok Sabha polls on Thursday, Senior Deputy Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha said

A polling officer puts an indelible ink mark on the finger of a voter during the second phase of the general elections, at a polling station, in Nagaon | Photo: PTI

7:05 PM

Total voter turnout for 2nd phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2019 is 61.12%

5:45 PM

Mayawati terms EC anti-dalit; says NAYA jumla of Congress

BSP supremo Mayawati Thursday alleged that the Election Commission has an anti-dalit mindset and that was why it had stopped her from campaigning in Agra, considered the 'Dalit capital' of northern India.

 

She also claimed that BJP leaders are taking the Army's name in their poll speeches violating the model code of conduct, but the EC is keeping mum.

 

5:43 PM

Poonam Sinha files nomination from Lucknow, to contest against Rajnath Singh

Samajwadi Party (SP) nominee Poonam Sinha, wife of actor-turned politician Shatrughan Sinha who had rebelled against the BJP leadership, Thursday filed her nomination papers for the Lucknow parliamentary seat from where Union Minister Rajnath Singh is seeking re-election.

 

Accompanied by SP MP Dimple Yadav and Shatrughan Sinha, Poonam filed her papers at the Collectorate as the candidate for the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in the seat, which goes to polls on May 6.

 

4:50 PM

Voter turnout till 3 PM for 2nd phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2019

Voter turnout till 3 PM for 2nd phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2019

 

 Maharashtra - 46.63%, Tamil Nadu - 52.02%, Odisha - 53%, Manipur - 67.5%, Uttar Pradesh - 50.39%, Chhattisgarh - 59.72%, Karnataka - 49.26%

4:24 PM

46.63% voter turnout in Maharashtra till 3 pm

An average 46.63% polling was recorded till 3 pm in 10 constituencies of Maharashtra where polling is underway in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections on Thursday

 

Polling is being held in Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, Hingoli, Nanded, Parbhani, Beed, Osmanabad, Latur and Solapur Lok Sabha constituencies

4:02 PM

Congress complains to EC about faulty EVMs in Maharashtra

The Congress on Thursday said it has submitted 33 complaints to the Election Commission about "glitches" in the electronic voting machines (EVMs) at some polling booths across Maharashtra's 10 Lok Sabha seats where voting was underway.

 

It also flagged concerns about poor lighting arrangements at some polling centres, the statement said.

3:58 PM

Akhilesh Yadav files nomination from Azamgarh

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav Thursday filed his nomination papers for the Azamgarh Lok Sabha seat.

 

The SP chief said Azamgarh is the 'karambhoomi' of 'samajwadis' and exuded confidence that the people will continue to repose their faith in him by giving him blessings and support.

 

3:39 PM

33% voter turnout till 1 pm in Odisha

Around 33% of the over 76.93 lakh electorate exercised their franchise till 1 pm Thursday, as polling progressed peacefully in the five Lok Sabha and 35 assembly seats in Odisha

 

3:32 PM

Nearly 30% polling in Udhampur, Srinagar Lok Sabha seats till 1 pm

Jammu and Kashmir recorded nearly 30% polling till 1 pm in Udhampur and Srinagar Lok Sabha constituencies Thursday

3:19 PM

Tamil Nadu leaders make beeline to vote; 39.49% turnout so far

Tamil Nadu recorded 39.49% voting till 1 pm in 38 Lok Sabha constituencies of the state, with Chief Minister K Palaniswami and DMK chief M K Stalin among the early voters

 

2:54 PM

2:50 PM

SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav files nomination from Azamgarh parliamentary constituency.

2:38 PM

2:27 PM

Sardar Patel statue not built to spite Nehru: Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's imposing statue in Gujarat has not been built to "belittle" former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

 

Speaking at an election rally, Modi said though the Congress says Patel was their leader, no leader of that party has visited the statue so far.

 

"Don't you feel proud when the Statue of Unity and Gujarat's name appear when you search for the world's tallest statue on Google?

 

"I have not built Sardar Patel's statue to belittle Pandit Nehru. Patel's stature is so tall that you don't have to try too hard to make others look smaller," Modi said in his speech, most of which was in Gujarati.

 

The 'Statue of Unity', dedicated to Sardar Patel, was unveiled by Modi on October 31 last year at Sadhu Bet island on Narmada river. The 182-metre tall statue was built at a cost of Rs 2,389 crore.