LS polls LIVE | Phase 2 records 60% voter turnout; Tripura highest at 77.53%
Over 600 Tripura tribal voters boycott polls over bad road
More than 600 voters of a remote tribal village in Dhalai district, part of Tripura East Lok Sabha constituency, abstained from voting on Friday due to the unrepaired condition of a 7-km village road, an election official said.
The villagers, numbering around 900, have been persistently demanding repairs for months, emphasising the road's critical importance to their community, the official added.
"As per schedule, the polling team reached Sadai Mohan Para polling station under Raima Valley Assembly constituency in Tripura East Lok Sabha seat," the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Gandacherra (Raima Valley), Arindam Das, told PTI over the phone.
The villagers are standing outside the polling booth but not entering it to cast their votes as they are protesting against government apathy, the official said.
"We are hopeful the villagers will join the festival of democracy, and the administration will look into their demands seriously", he said.
The villagers have also complained about the drinking water problem, Das said, adding that after getting the report, a team of officials rushed to Sadai Mohan Para to persuade the voters to exercise their democratic rights.
"I heard voters of two polling booths, one at Maldapara (Sadai Moha Para) in Dhalai district and another at Ampi in Gumati district, are not going to cast their votes as their demand for road and water supply has not been addressed. Officials have gone there to persuade the villagers to cast their vote in the elections," state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ratan Lal Nath told the media.
"Apart from two incidents, the polling was moderate and peaceful in all the booths so far. The CPI(M) has failed to send polling agents to the booths. It seems it is fleeing the battleground," Nath added.
Kharge and Rahul appeal to voters: Step out to protect democracy
Stressing on the importance of each vote, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday issued impassioned appeals asking people to step out and exercise their franchise in the second phase of the Lok Sabha election.
While Kharge urged voters to come out and vote to protect democracy from the clutches of dictatorship, Rahul asked them to come out and be soldiers of the Constitution.
Addressing citizens of the country, Rahul said, "Today is the second phase of this historic election which is going to decide the fate of the country. Your vote will decide whether the next government will be of 'a few billionaires' or of '140 crore Indians'."
"Therefore, it is the duty of every citizen to step out of their homes today and become a 'soldier of the Constitution' and vote to protect democracy," Gandhi said in Hindi in a post on X using the hashtag "#Vote4INDIA".
Echoing him, Kharge said this is not an ordinary election and voters should not be swayed by any diversionary tactics. " 'We, the people of India' - this soul of the Constitution of India should reverberate in your hearts and minds before you push the voting button..."
"Always make your vote count. For it may change the lives of 140 crore Indians by bringing the paradigm of Yuva Nyay, Nariman Nyay, Kishan Nyay, Shramik Nyay and Hissedari Nyay," Kharge said.
He asked people to imagine a future where justice, freedom, equality and liberty are guaranteed, promising a future of rapid inclusive growth and transformative policies.
"My dear first time voters, cut the clutter and distance the din, for you are the real changemakers and I welcome each one of you in this movement for Democracy," the Congress chief added.
Over 47% voting in 3 Bengal LS seats till 1 pm
Three Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal recorded over 47 per cent voting till 1 pm in the second phase of polling on Friday, an Election Commission official said.
Polling is underway in Darjeeling, Balurghat and Raiganj constituencies, and voting will continue till 6 pm.
Darjeeling recorded the highest voter turnout of 49.09 per cent, while Raiganj and Balurghat registered 47.56 per cent and 44.93 per cent polling, respectively, he said.
"Polling is peaceful and there is no report of any untoward incident from anywhere in the parliamentary constituencies," the official said.
A total of 47 candidates, including state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar, are in the fray in this phase, with 51.17 lakh people eligible to exercise their franchise.
Altogether 5,298 polling stations have been set up across the three constituencies. There are 1,999 polling stations in Darjeeling, 1,730 in Raiganj and 1,569 in Balurghat, he said.
A total of 272 companies or 27,200 personnel of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), alongside 12,983 state police personnel have been deployed for the polls, the official added.
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.
The highest polling of 49.72 per cent was recorded in Darrang-Udalguri, closely followed by 49.14 per cent in Karimganj, 46.40 per cent in Diphu (ST), 44.48 per cent in Nagaon and 40.23 per cent in Silchar, they said.
Polling began at 7 am and will continue till 5 pm.
The prominent candidates who exercised their franchise are Assam Minister for Excise, Transport and Fisheries Parimal Suklabaidya and his Congress rival Surya Kanta Sarkar in Silchar (SC), Congress candidate Joyram Engleng in Diphu (ST) and sitting Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi in Nagaon.
Altogether 77,26,668 voters, including 38,61,559 women and 179 persons of third gender, are likely to exercise their franchise in 9,133 polling stations.
Sixty-one candidates are in the fray in this phase.
In a first, members of Tripura’s Bru community cast their votes
In a first, members of the Bru community in Tripura exercised their franchise for the Lok Sabha polls on Friday.
The Bru migrants, who were staying in refugee camps of North Tripura district in 2020, have received permanent settlements across 12 locations in the state.
They had also voted during the assembly elections held last year.