Voting underway for 96 seats in Lok Sabha fourth phase polling

Voters across nine states and a union territory are exercising their franchise on May 13 as the mega-electoral exercise in India moves into the fourth phase. The voting began at 7 am. A total of 96 Lok Sabha constituencies are witnessing brisk polling alongside elections to two state legislative assemblies.

The voting today spans the breadth of the country, with parliamentary constituencies going to polls in Andhra Pradesh (25), Telangana (17), Uttar Pradesh (13), Maharashtra (11), Madhya Pradesh (8), West Bengal (8), Bihar (5), Jharkhand (4), Odisha (4), and Jammu & Kashmir (1). Andhra Pradesh and Odisha are also electing new state assemblies simultaneously. A total of 1,717 candidates are contesting in this phase.

Key contests are taking place in several constituencies, with notable candidates including AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, SP leader Akhilesh Yadav, Congress's Adhir Chowdhury, TMC's Mahua Moitra, BJP's Giriraj Singh, JD(U)'s Lalan Singh, TMC's Shatrughan Sinha and Yusuf Pathan, BJP's Arjun Munda and Madhavi Latha, and Andhra Congress chief YS Sharmila.

Some prominent Lok Sabha seats where voting is underway include Baharampur, Hyderabad, Krishnanagar, Begusarai, Munger, Srinagar, Asansol, Kannauj, Kadapa, and Khunti.

The Election Commission has made extensive arrangements at all polling stations, including facilities like water, shamiyanas (tents), and fans for voters' convenience. Polling time has been extended in certain Telangana assembly segments to increase voter participation