Delhi, 26 April (H.S): As the second phase of voting in the Lok Sabha polls approaches on Friday, the election fervor is gaining momentum in the world's largest democracy. Covering 88 constituencies across 13 states and union Territories, this phase will witness voting in a diverse range of regions, from the hills of West Bengal to the lush green landscapes of Kerala to the sandy deserts of Rajasthan.

While 89 constituencies were initially scheduled to go to polls, Madhya Pradesh's Betul saw an early round of voting due to some administrative reasons. Despite this, there seems to be less enthusiasm among voters as compared to previous elections due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Out of the 88 constituencies, 73 are general seats, while 6 are reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST) and 9 for Scheduled Castes (SC).

The voting will take place until 5 p.m., with some polling centers extending their hours until 6 p.m. in Bihar due to hot weather conditions. Some notable candidates in this phase include Congress leader Rahul Gandhi from Kerala's Wayanad, BJP's Hema Malini from UP's Mathura, and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla from Kota. This phase will mark the completion of elections in Kerala, Manipur, Tripura, and Rajasthan, where polling was also held in the first phase on April 19. The election festival is in full swing in India as the country gets ready to choose its leaders for the next five years.

Hindusthan Samachar/ Indrani Sarkar