Electors standing in a queue in Tripura East Parliamentary Constituency today.
By Nava Thakuria*
Guwahati: As the clock ticked past 7 am, the electoral process kicked off in the second phase of parliamentary elections today. A total of 1202 candidates (Males – 1098; Females-102; third gender – 02), representing national and regional parties (also some as independents) are trying their electoral luck in 88 Parliamentary constituencies seats of 13 States and Union Territories under the second phase of 18th Lok Sabha elections. However, polling for the 29-Betul Parliamentary Constituency in Madhya Pradesh was rescheduled in the third phase due to the death of a candidate from the Bahujan Samaj Party. The remaining 5 phases of polls will continue till June 1, with the counting of votes scheduled for June 4, 2024. Polling for 102 seats in Phase 1 was completed on April 19, 2024.
Over 16 lakh Polling officials have been deployed for over 15.88 crore voters across 1.67 lakh polling stations during the second phase. 3 Helicopters, 4 Special trains and nearly 80,000 vehicles were deployed to ferry polling and security personnel for today’s poll. Voters include 8.08 crore Males; 7.8 crore Females and 5929 Third gender electors. 34.8 lakh first-time voters are registered to cast their votes. Additionally, there are 3.28 crore young voters in the age group 20-29 years.
Enthusiastic north-eastern electorates in seven Parliamentary constituencies of Assam, Tripura and Manipur in northeast India along with the voters from Kerala, Karnataka, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Jammu & Kashmir will give the mandate to their representatives as honourable members of the lower house of Indian Parliament through electronic voting machines.
Poll is so far peaceful in Darrang-Udalguri, Diphu, Silchar, Karimganj and Nagaon seats of Assam along with Tripura East and Outer Manipur in the Northeast. Over 60 candidates are in the fray for five seats in Assam. The largest State in the region will go for the last phase of polling on 7 May for four seats (Guwahati, Barpeta, Kokrajhar and Dhubri) to complete the electoral process enlisted for 25 north-eastern Lok Sabha seats (Assam -14, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura- 2 each and Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim- single seat each).
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has put candidates in all five Parliamentary seats of Assam, where the voting process is going on. In the Darrang-Udalguri seat, sitting BJP MP Dilip Saikia is primarily facing Madhav Rajbangshi (Congress) and Durgadas Boro (Bodoland Peoples’ Front). Diphu seat witnesses frontal electoral fights between Amarsing Tisso (BJP) and Joy Ram Engleng (Congress). Similarly, in the Silchar seat, BJP nominee Parimal Suklabaidya faces Surya Kanta Sarkar (Congress) and Radheshyam Biswas (Trinamool Congress).
The Congress Party is expecting a good outcome in Karimganj and Nagaon seats. In Karimganj, the oldest party of India has fielded Hafiz Rashid Ahmed Choudhury against Sahabul Islam Choudhury (All India United Democratic Front) and Kripanath Malla (BJP). At the same time, sitting Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi is seeking reelection from Nagaon, where he is challenged by Aminul Islam (AIUDF) and Suresh Borah (BJP) with others. BJP has supported Tipra Motha candidate Kriti Singh Devbarma in the Tripura East seat, where she faces electoral challenges from CPI-M nominee Rajendra Reang. Similarly in Outer Manipur, the saffron party extended support to Kachui Timothy Zimik (Naga People’s Front) against Congress candidate Alfred Kanngam S Arthur.
Half of the electorates here voted in 1st phase of polling on April 19, 2024. North-eastern electorates participated in the 1st phase of polling with an impressive turnout, where the Tripura West seat recorded as high as 81.51 per cent of voter’s responses. Meghalaya also reported equally impressive polling where the Tura seat witnessed 81% voter turnout. Assam recorded over 75 % voter turnout, followed by Manipur (around 75%), Sikkim (nearly 75 %), Arunachal Pradesh (around 67%), Nagaland (around 57 % even after six districts namely Mon, Longleng, Tuensang, Kiphire, Noklak and Shamator had zero voting) and Mizoram (around 55 %).
Kerala voters are scheduled to elect all 20 Parliamentarians in this phase today. During this phase, a total of 4553 Flying Squads, 5731 Static Surveillance Teams, 1462 Video Surveillance Teams and 844 Video Viewing Teams are keeping surveillance round the clock to strictly and swiftly deal with any form of inducement of voters. A total of 1237 inter-state and 263 international Border checkposts are also keeping vigil on any illicit flow of liquor, drugs, cash and freebies. Strict surveillance has been kept at sea and air routes.
Tamil Nadu went to polls for all of its 39 Parliamentary seats in the first phase on April 19, 2024. In the first phase, polling took place for all five seats of Uttarakhand, eight out of 80 seats of Uttar Pradesh, 12 out of 25 seats of Rajasthan, three West Bengal seats, six Maharashtra seats, four Bihar seats, six Madhya Pradesh, besides one seat each in Chhattisgarh, Puducherry, Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Jammu & Kashmir.
In the first phase, Bihar recorded the lowest voter turnout (less than 50%), whereas Uttarakhand reported around 54% turnout. Rajasthan reported over 56 %, Tamil Nadu around 70 % and Puducherry recorded over 75 % voter response. Even the violence-hit Bengal reported a better turnout (over 77 %) in the 1st phase.
Despite relentless awareness campaigns by the Election Commission of India, various social organisations and news channels, voter turnout declined in mainland India in the first phase. In comparison to them, north-eastern States did far better, thanks to a localised campaign by Lok Jagaran Mancha Asom for 100% turnout by the electorates. The Assam-based nationalist forum launched the campaign with printed leaflets, music videos and short plays to inspire the voters to arrive at the polling booths on time and cast their votes with pride and responsibility.
*Senior journalist
