Lok Sabha Elections 2024 Phase 2: In the second phase of Lok Sabha Elections 2024, voting was held on 88 seats in 13 states and union territories on Friday. However, the enthusiasm for the election was reduced by the voting percentage in the evening. This time the voting trend was worse than the first phase of elections. In the second phase, only 63.00 percent of the voters exercised their franchise, whereas in 2019 more than 70 percent of the people voted enthusiastically on these seats. This decreasing voting percentage has spoiled the mathematics of all political parties.
In the first phase, 64 percent votes were cast in 102 Lok Sabha seats of 21 states. In the last election, more than 70 percent voting took place in those seats. The same situation prevailed in the second phase as well. Voting figures could not cross 80 percent in any state.
Talking about the figures, the highest number of voters exercised their franchise in Tripura (78.6%) and the lowest number of voters exercised their franchise in Uttar Pradesh (54.8%). Whereas, 77.2% voters voted in Manipur, 73.1% in Chhattisgarh, 71.8% in West Bengal, 70.8% in Assam, 71.6% in Jammu and Kashmir, 65.3% in Kerala, 67.3% in Karnataka, 63.9% in Rajasthan, 56.8% in Madhya Pradesh, 54.3% in Maharashtra and 54.9% in Bihar.
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The low voter turnout has increased the concern of the Election Commission as well as the political parties
The fact that people are not coming out of their homes to vote has increased the concern of the Election Commission as well as the political parties. Especially in the Hindi speaking states, voters have become bored with voting. Earlier in 2014 and 2019, a good number of people voted, but this time that enthusiasm is not being seen among the voters.
Voting was low in both the phases in UP
Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of 80 Lok Sabha seats, but the voters there are not showing enthusiasm for the elections. While 57 percent votes were cast in the first phase, only 54.8 percent people exercised their franchise in the second phase. Experts believe that it is very difficult to deduce from this trend who has got more votes.
Even in Bihar, which is known to be election and politically conscious, voters are looking quite indifferent about voting this time. While 48 percent people voted in the first phase, 54.9 percent voters exercised their franchise in the second phase. Many people are also linking the low voting percentage in Bihar to weather and migration.
Hot weather in North India is also a reason!
The temperature of the weather has increased a lot in the whole of North India these days. Heatwaves and hot winds have disrupted the lives of people. This is also being cited as a reason for people not coming out of their homes to vote. At the same time, the low voting percentage is also being linked to the low activity of opposition parties in the elections. At the same time, more use of social media instead of physical campaigning in today’s elections is also reducing the voting trend.
Low voter turnout has an impact on seats with
low margins. Low voter turnout has a direct impact on seats with low margins. In 2019, there was a close contest on 75 seats. In such a situation, the result can go either way. Some experts say that low voter turnout can benefit the ruling parties, because people think that the government is doing a good job and they do not want any change. That is why they do not step out of their homes to vote.
Chances of change of government due to low voting trend?
Voting percentage has decreased in 5 out of the last 12 elections and in four of these the government has changed. In the 1980 elections, the voting percentage decreased and Congress formed the government by removing Janata Party. In 1989, Congress lost the government due to the fall in voting percentage. A government was formed at the center under the leadership of BP Singh. In 1991 also, Congress returned to power after the fall in voting. However, in 1999, despite the fall in voting percentage, the power did not change. In 2004, once again the opposition parties benefited from the fall in voting.
Lok Sabha elections: In the second phase also, voting was less in 88 seats as compared to 2019, Tripura had the highest
In the second phase of Lok Sabha elections, 63 percent voting took place on Friday in 88 Lok Sabha seats across 13 states and union territories. If we talk about the figures, the highest number of voters exercised their franchise in Tripura at 78.6 percent and the lowest in Uttar Pradesh at 54.8 percent. While 77.2 percent voters voted in Manipur, 73.1 percent in Chhattisgarh, 71.8 percent in West Bengal, 70.8 in Assam, 71.6 in Jammu and Kashmir, 65.3 in Kerala, 67.3 in Karnataka, 63.9 in Rajasthan, 56.8 in Madhya Pradesh, 54.3 in Maharashtra and 54.9 percent voters voted in Bihar.
Important information in Points
Voting took place from 7 am to 5 pm in all 20 Lok Sabha seats of Kerala. Apart from sporadic reports of bogus voting and malfunctioning of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) at some polling stations in the state, voting was conducted amid tight security in all the seats of Kerala. Several people and a ‘polling agent’ died during voting in the state due to various reasons. According to reports, one person each died after voting in Palakkad, Alappuzha and Malappuram. At the same time, a polling agent died at a polling station in Kozhikode. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in Kerala, 77.84 percent voting was recorded.
Voting took place in five Lok Sabha constituencies in Bihar on Friday. Voters exercised their franchise in Kishanganj, Katihar, Purnia, Bhagalpur and Banka parliamentary constituencies. The Election Commission had set up 9,322 polling stations to conduct peaceful, fair and smooth polling in these seats. A total of 50 candidates are in the fray for these five seats, including 47 male and three female candidates. These candidates include five from Janata Dal (United), four from Bahujan Samaj Party, three from Congress and two from Rashtriya Janata Dal.
Voting took place on Friday in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections in eight seats of western Uttar Pradesh. Voting began at 7 am amid tight security and continued till 6 pm. In the second phase, voting took place in Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Bulandshahr, Aligarh and Mathura seats. Uttar Pradesh Chief Election Officer (CEO) Navdeep Rinwa said that there are 91 candidates in the fray for the eight Lok Sabha constituencies of the second phase, of which 81 are men and 10 are women. In terms of numbers, the highest number of voters is in Ghaziabad (29 lakh, 45 thousand 487) and the lowest number of voters is in Baghpat (16 lakh 53 thousand 146) Lok Sabha constituency.
Voting took place on eight seats in Maharashtra on Friday as part of the second phase of Lok Sabha elections. Voting took place from 7 am to 6 pm in Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, Wardha and Yavatmal-Washim seats in Vidarbha region and Hingoli, Nanded and Parbhani seats in Central Marathwada region. Voters decided the electoral fate of 204 candidates on eight seats in the state.
Voting took place on Friday in 13 Lok Sabha seats of Rajasthan. These include Barmer, Jodhpur, Jalore, Banswara, Chittorgarh, Kota, Tonk-Sawai Madhopur, Ajmer, Pali, Udaipur, Rajsamand, and Jhalawar-Baran Lok Sabha seats. Voting took place at 28,758 booths in these seats and voters decided the electoral fate of 152 candidates.
Voting took place in the second phase of elections for three Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal. Voting continued till 6 pm in Darjeeling, Balurghat and Raiganj constituencies. An official said, “Voting was peaceful and there is no report of any untoward incident from anywhere in the parliamentary constituencies.”
Voting for 14 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka took place from 7 am to 6 pm. In this phase, Congress is contesting all 14 seats, while BJP has fielded candidates on 11 seats and its alliance partner JD(S) on three seats – Hassan, Mandya and Kolar. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Congress and JD(S) contested in alliance and these parties won only one seat each in these 14 Lok Sabha constituencies. BJP won 11 and a party-backed independent candidate won in Mandya.
Voting took place in three Lok Sabha constituencies of Chhattisgarh on Friday. A total of 41 candidates are contesting in the three Lok Sabha constituencies of Chhattisgarh, but the main contest is between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress. These three Lok Sabha constituencies are Naxal-affected. Voting is being held in three phases for all 11 Lok Sabha seats of Chhattisgarh. Voting took place in the Naxal-affected Bastar (ST) constituency during the first phase on April 19. Voting will be held on the remaining seven seats on May 7.
Voting was held on Friday from 7 am to 6 pm in five seats of Assam under the second phase of Lok Sabha elections. A total of 61 candidates are trying their luck on these five seats. On Silchar seat, Excise, Transport and Fisheries Minister Parimal Suklabaidya is contesting on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket against Suryakant Sarkar of Congress. BJP’s sitting MP Kripanath Mallah is trying his luck from Karimganj. In Diphu, BJP candidate Amarsingh Tisso is contesting against Joyram Angleng of Congress. On the other hand, in Nagaon, there is a tough contest between sitting Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi and BJP’s Suresh Bora.
Voting was also held on Friday for six Lok Sabha seats in Madhya Pradesh. The maximum number of candidates, 19, are contesting from Satna Lok Sabha seat, while the minimum number of candidates, seven, are contesting from Tikamgarh. There were 2,865 sensitive polling booths in these six seats. BJP’s state unit chief V.D. Sharma is contesting for the second time from Khajuraho seat.
In Tripura East Lok Sabha seat also, a large number of voters came out of their homes to vote on Friday. By 3 pm, 69.48 percent of the voters had exercised their franchise. Long queues were seen outside the polling booths since morning. Tribals also participated in voting in the interior areas amid tight security. In the second phase of Lok Sabha elections, out of the total 13.96 lakh voters in these seats, 7.02 lakh are men, 6.94 lakh are women and 13 are transgenders, who decided the electoral fate of nine candidates.
Voting was also held on the Jammu Lok Sabha seat on Friday in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections. In the 2019 elections, 74 percent voting took place on the Jammu Lok Sabha seat. BJP’s outgoing MP Jugal Kishore Sharma is trying his luck from this seat for the third time after winning the 2014 and 2019 elections, while the ‘Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance’ (‘India’) has fielded Jammu and Kashmir Congress Working President Raman Bhalla. A total of 22 candidates are in the fray for this seat.
