Lok Sabha polls 2019 live: Second phase polling concludes, West Bengal records highest turnout at 76% despite violence

Polling for second phase of Lok Sabha election concluded: Election Commission announced.

As per the Election Commission, the final voter turnout till 7pm stood around 64%. 

Assam - 75.85%
Bihar - 63.01%
Jammu and Kashmir - 44.60%
Karnataka - 66.69%
Maharashtra - 59.64%
Manipur - 76.15%
Odisha - 57.81%
Tamil Nadu - 63.90%
Uttar Pradesh - 61.94%
West Bengal - 76.43%
Chhattisgarh - 70.94%
Puducherry - 75.14%

West Bengal polled braving violence

Isolated incidents of violence, road blockades, bombings and police firing marred the second phase of polling at a few place in the three Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal with 76 per cent of voter turnout till 6pm on Thursday, officials said.

At 6pm, the overall voter turnout was recorded at 61%

Assam - 73.41%
Bihar - 57.60%
Jammu and Kashmir - 43.39%
Karnataka - 61.94%
Maharashtra - 55.72%
Manipur - 75.69%
Odisha - 57.81%
Tamil Nadu - 63.04%
Uttar Pradesh - 58.30%
West Bengal - 76.30%
Chhattisgarh - 68.95%
Puducherry - 73.86%

EVM glitches delay voting in Tamil Nadu, 384 changed

Technical glitches relating to Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) and Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machines held up polling in the morning in several constituencies across Tamil Nadu till the machines were changed.

In the Kanniyakumari Lok Sabha constituency, voters had to stand in queue in several booths for nearly an hour to cast their votes. Similarly, at a booth in Chennai, there was a technical glitch that delayed voting for also about an hour.

Tamil Nadu Chief Electoral Officer Satyabrata Sahoo told reporters that 384 faulty EVMs and 692 faulty VVPAT machines were replaced across the state and after that, polling went on smoothly.

Surendra Kumar, Chief Electoral Officer, Odisha said, "technical problems arose due to lapses on part of the polling officers, action will be taken against those officers for dereliction of duty." 

Kumar has recommended re-polling in booth 213 in Sundergarh, booth 129 in Bonai, and booths 210 & 222 in Daspalla assembly constituency due to technical problems in EVM machines and VVPATs.

At 5 pm, the overall voter turnout was recorded at 58%

Assam - 73.18%
Bihar - 58.14%
Jammu and Kashmir - 43.37%
Karnataka - 62.09%
Maharashtra - 55.18%
Manipur - 74.57%
Odisha - 56.33%
Tamil Nadu - 60.49%
Uttar Pradesh - 57.64%
West Bengal - 75.27%
Chhattisgarh - 68.70%
Puducherry - 72.40%

Karnataka: 107-year-old Padma awardee, Saalumarada Thimmakka casts her vote for the Bangalore Rural parliamentary constituency.

DMK writes to chief electoral officer, requests to ensure fair polls 

DMK writes to the chief electoral officer and police authorities, requesting to take necessary steps to ensure free and fair elections. 
 
The letter mentions that AIADMK and their allies are to attempt booth capture after 3pm in constituencies across Tamil Nadu. It also mentions about reports of police helping them to withdraw security and turn off the surveillance cameras at the booths.

At 4 pm, the overall voter turnout was recorded at 51.03%

Assam - 60.89%
Bihar - 47.49%
Jammu and Kashmir - 38.61%
Karnataka - 49.57%
Maharashtra - 45.11%
Manipur - 68.94%
Odisha - 45%
Tamil Nadu - 52.18%
Uttar Pradesh - 50.12%
West Bengal - 65.59%
Chhattisgarh - 59.83%
Puducherry - 58.77%

Assam: Voters queue up to cast their votes at a polling booth in Nagaon. 

Karnataka CM Kumaraswamy's chopper checked in Kumta by EC's flying squad. Recently his chopper was checked in Shimoga. His convoy and personal car has been checked multiple times by EC officials so far this election season.

Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh and his family cast their vote for the Rajnandgaon parliamentary constituency.

After casting vote in Hassan, JD(S) supremo and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda said "we are children of farmers". 

At 3 pm, the overall voter turnout was recorded at 40.60%

Assam - 54.32%
Bihar - 39.36%
Jammu and Kashmir - 30.19%
Karnataka - 38.12%
Maharashtra - 35.28%
Manipur - 53.45%
Odisha - 37.07%
Tamil Nadu - 40.55%
Uttar Pradesh - 41.95%
West Bengal - 51.68%
Chhattisgarh - 50.41%
Puducherry - 47.71%

BJP Lok Sabha candidate from Darjeeling, West Bengal tweeted out saying that "party symbol and name has been covered by black tape by the goons at booth no. 25/47 - Bagdogra Balika Vidhyalaya". The concern officers are not taking note, he added. 

At 2 pm, overall voter turnout at 38.34%

Assam 47%
Bihar 39%
Jammu and Kashmir 30%
Karnataka 36%
Maharashtra 34%
Manipur 50%
Odisha 32%
Tamil nadu 39%
Uttar pradesh 39%
West bengal 52%
Chhattisgarh 47%
Puducherry 43%

CPI(M) candidate from Raiganj constituency Md Salim was visiting Patagora in Islampur when his car was attacked and pelted with stones.

“I came here after hearing reports that Trinamool Congress’ men were preventing people from casting their votes. When I confronted them, they attacked my vehicle.  My driver and assistant were still inside the vehicle when it was attacked with stones and bricks. They had to flee along with the vehicle to save their life,” Salim said.

“Massive rigging was on when I arrived here. Trinamool Congress men also tried to attack me with rods,” he added.

 

Total voter turnout: 38%

Assam 46.19%
Bihar 38.48%
Chhattisgarh 41.83%
Jammu and Kashmir 25.85%
Karnataka 32.16%
Maharashtra 29.64%
Manipur 47.78%
Odisha 29.90%
Tamil nadu 30.63%
Uttar pradesh 37.41%
West bengal 44.23%
Puducherry 41.29%

CPM leader Mohammad Salim’s convoy was attacked in West Bengal’s Islampur. Salim’s car was pelted with bricks. Salim alleges he was attacked by TMC goons with arms who were threatening the voters inside booths.

Violence in Raiganj constituency

Clashes erupt between Trinamool and BJP workers in booth 112 of Raiganj constituency. The polling station has been completely vandalised, EVM damaged. Voting has been stalled for now.

Security personnel lob tear gas shells and lathi charge locals after they blocked National Highway 34 in protest of bike-borne men allegedly preventing them to cast their votes at Digirpar polling booth in Chopra, in Islampur subdivision of North Dinajpur.
 

"Development in Mathura is all due to my efforts. SP-BSP are only engaged in fighting with each other. There is a huge Modi wave here. I am doing my duty and I think everything is nice, I am doing it selflessly. They should elect me again. My margin of win will increase again," said Hema Malini after casting vote. 

Read more: In Mathura, tough road ahead for Hema Malini in re-election bid

 

Voter turnout till 12 am at 21.31%

Assam - 27%
Bihar - 19%
J&K - 18%
Karnataka - 20%
Maharashtra - 19%
Manipur - 32%
Odisha - 18%
Tamil Nadu - 20%
Uttar Pradesh - 24%
West Bengal - 34%
Chhattisharh - 31%
Puducherry - 25%

"Now that LS polls are due to conclude, we can only hope that Centre together with EC gives people of J&K an elected govt which is their right," said Omar Abdullah after casting vote.

 

Voter turnout till 11 am at 17.74%

Assam - 26%
Bihar - 18%
J&K - 13%
Karnataka - 17%
Maharashtra - 14%
Manipur - 25%
Odisha - 16%
Tamil Nadu - 15%
Uttar Pradesh - 24%
West Bengal - 31%
Chhattisharh - 27%
Puducherry - 23%

Voter turnout till 10 am at 8.5%

Assam - 11.80%
Bihar - 10.10%
J&K - 5.86%
Karnataka - 7.60%
Maharashtra - 6.60%
Manipur - 16.60%
Odisha - 6.75%
Tamil Nadu - 6.85%
Uttar Pradesh - 9.35%
West Bengal - 16.77%
Chhattisharh - 13.09%
Puducherry - 7.48%

Watch: Key electoral battles in phase 2 of Lok Sabha polls

"People in the opposition have been harassed, raids targeted at opposition candidates. BJP has completely taken over AIADMK," said Kanimozhi DMK Lok Sabha candidate from Thoothukudi.

 

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam President MK Stalin casts his vote at a polling booth at SIET College in Teynampet.

 

DMK General Secretary K Anbazhagan cast his vote at a polling station at Mylapore in Chennai South Parliamentary constituency while BJP candidate for Sivaganga constituency H Raja exercised his franchise at a polling station in Karaikudi, Sivaganga. 

Polling underway in Tamil Nadu

The state's electorate is 5.84 crore (after deducting the 14.26 lakh voters in Vellore) strong and adequate security arrangements which include over 160 companies of central police forces and one lakh state police personnel, have been made.

Tamil Nadu has a total of 67,720 polling stations and 7,780 booths have been categorised as critical and vulnerable where more Central Armed Police Forces personnel and micro observers were deployed.

Measures like webcasting and videography of the proceedings are also in place. As many as 1,50,302 ballot units, 89,160 control units and 94,653 VVPAT which allows the electors to cross-check the votes they have cast for seven seconds are available. Every constituency has one all-women polling station.
 

Extra polling time for Madurai Lok Sabha segment

While polling will be held between 7 am and 6 pm in 37 constituencies, it has been extended by two hours until 8 pm in Madurai Lok Sabha segment, due to the Chithirai festival, which marks the grand entry of Lord Kallazhagar into the Vaigai river. 

People queue outside a polling station in Darjeeling.

Kamal Haasan and his daughter Shruti Haasan stand in a queue to cast their vote in Chennai's Alwarpet. Kamal Haasan's party 'Makkal Needhi Maiam' debuts in Lok Sabha Elections 2019.

Also read: Political heavyweights in Tamil Nadu cast their vote as polling begins 

Rajinikanth cast his vote at the polling station in Stella Maris College, in Chennai Central parliamentary constituency while P Chidambaram exercised his franchise a polling station in Karaikudi, Sivaganga. 

Of the 95 constituencies in fray today, the AIADMK holds the maximum of 36 seats, followed by the BJP which holds 27 seats.

The Congress had won 12 of these seats in 2014, the Shiv Sena and the BJD 4 each, the JD-S and the RJD two each and the AIUDF, the NCP, the JD-U, the PDP, the AINRC, the PMK, the CPI-M and the TMC one seat each.

Tamil Nadu: Nalini Chidambaram, Karti Chidambaram and his wife Srinidi Rangarajan casts their vote at a polling station in Karaikudi, Sivaganga.

Actor turned politician Rajinikanth casts his vote at the polling station in Stella Maris College, in Chennai Central parliamentary constituency.

Congress leader P Chidambaram casts his vote at a polling station in Karaikudi, Sivaganga.

All of Tamil Nadu except Vellore will go to polls in the second phase. The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) swept the state in the 2014 elections, winning 37 out of the 39 seats.

Also read: Karnataka to witness neck-to-neck contests

As Karnataka goes to polls some interesting battles are being witnessed in some of the 14 parliamentary constituencies. 

Outside visuals from polling station number 37&38 in Nagaon parliamentary constituency. 5 out of 14 parliamentary constituencies of Assam will go to polls today in the second phase of elections.

 

Voting on ninety-five Lok Sabha seats across 11 states is underway in the second phase of the 2019 general elections.

To be sure, the original schedule was for 97 seats, but the Election Commission of India has cancelled polling in Vellore (Tamil Nadu) and Tripura East constituencies.

Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) dispatched for the second phase of Lok Sabha Election 2019; Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, and Raiganj go to polls in the second phase of general elections.

 

BJD writes to Election Commission; demands action against Dharmendra Pradhan

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Wednesday wrote to the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) demanding action against Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for allegedly misbehaving with government officers on election duty. The party also alleged that Pradhan prevented the officials from checking his helicopter.