As the election festival gains momentum in the world’s largest democracy, the second phase of voting for the Lok Sabha polls is set to take place on Friday.
This phase will cover 88 constituencies across 13 states and Union Territories, ranging from the hills of West Bengal to the lush green landscapes of Kerala, and even the sandy deserts of Rajasthan. While initially 89 constituencies were scheduled to go to polls, the voting in Madhya Pradesh’s Betul was advanced due to unforeseen circumstances. However, there seems to be less enthusiasm among voters this time, possibly due to the ongoing pandemic. Out of the 88 constituencies, 73 are general seats while 6 are reserved for Scheduled Tribes and 9 for Scheduled Castes.
The polling will start at 7 a.m. and continue till 5 p.m., with some changes in timing due to local weather conditions. Notable candidates in this phase include Rahul Gandhi from Kerala’s Wayanad, Congress’ Shashi Tharoor and BJP’s Rajeev Chandrasekhar in Thiruvananthapuram, and Hema Malini from UP’s Mathura. This phase will also mark the completion of elections in Kerala, Manipur, Tripura, and Rajasthan.
