Tripura, Ap 27: In the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections spanning across 12 states and a union territory, a notable voter turnout of 63.50 per cent was reported, as announced by the Election Commission (EC). The polling process was predominantly peaceful, according to the EC.

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The provisional voter turnout figure stood at 63.50 per cent as of 8 pm, with expectations of an increase as reports from all polling stations are tallied. Notably, voters arriving until the conclusion of polling hours were facilitated to cast their votes.

Despite initial boycotts in certain villages, authorities successfully persuaded voters in Uttar Pradesh's Mathura, Rajasthan's Banswara, and Maharashtra's Parbhani to participate in the electoral process.

Also Read: Peaceful voting marred by attack on polling station in Karnataka

Polling commenced at 7 am and concluded at 6 pm, with several regions experiencing intense heat conditions. The first phase of polling took place on April 19, covering 102 seats across 21 states and Union territories.

Key highlights include:

1. The overall voter turnout at the end of polling on Friday marked approximately 63 per cent, indicating a slight decrease from the 65 per cent recorded in the preceding week's first phase and the 68 per cent noted during the second phase in 2019.
2. Tripura recorded the highest voter turnout at 79.46 per cent, followed by Manipur at 77.32 per cent. UP and Bihar recorded a turnout of 54.85 per cent, and  55.08 per cent respectively. Notably, Tripura's Tripura East (ST) constituency witnessed peaceful polling, although two polling stations reported turnouts exceeding 100 per cent, attributed to the utilization of Election Duty Certificates (EDC).
3. Kerala registered a voter turnout of 70.21 per cent, with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency recording 72.70 per cent turnout.
4. Voter turnout in Madhya Pradesh was recorded at 57.88 per cent, while Assam saw about 71.11 per cent voter participation among its electorate.
5. The voter turnout ranged from 57.83 per cent in eight constituencies in Maharashtra to 64.07 per cent in Rajasthan.
6. In Uttar Pradesh, the Gautam Buddh Nagar constituency recorded a voter turnout of 53.30 per cent, lower compared to the previous Lok Sabha elections.
7. Approximately half of Bengaluru's voters abstained from voting, particularly noticeable in urban constituencies like Bangalore Central, Bangalore North, and Bangalore South, which recorded turnouts of 52.81 per cent, 54.42 per cent, and 53.15 per cent, respectively.
8. The Election Commission noted receiving nearly 300 complaints in West Bengal, primarily concerning Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) malfunctioning, amid a voter turnout of 71.84 per cent.
9. The figures indicate a diverse turnout across regions, reflecting varied voter engagement and concerns.