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AMN / WEB DESK

Polling in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections will be held in 88 parliamentary constituencies spread over 13 states and Union Territories including the remaining part of the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha constituency.

Polling in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections will be held in 88 parliamentary constituencies spread over 13 states and Union Territories including the remaining part of the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha constituency.

The voting is scheduled to start at 7 am across 1.67 lakh polling stations, manned by more than 16 lakh polling officials, amid tight security to avert any untoward incident. It will culminate at 6 pm.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) said the polling time has been extended to 6 pm in many polling stations in Banka, Madhepura, Khagaria and Munger constituencies in Bihar so that voters avoid hot weather conditions.

More than 15.88 crore electorate will cast their votes to decide the fate of 1, 202 candidates, including 102 women candidates. The eligible voters include 8.08 crore men, 7.8 crore women, and 5,929 third-gender electors. The number of first-time voters is 34.8 lakh.

In the second phase of voting in the 18th Lok Sabha elections, prominent candidates like Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor are in the fray.

Chandrasekhar is the BJP’s nominee from Thiruvananthapuram seat while Tharoor is Congress’ candidate from the same seat. Rahul Gandhi is contesting from Wayanad, which he currently represents in the House.

Meerut, which is one of the 80 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh, is set to go on polls in the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections on April 26. The seat is likely to see a triangular contest among the BJP, the Opposition INDIA bloc and the Bahujan Samaj Party.