Phase 2 polling: Heatwave conditions to prevail in some states
What's the story
The polling for the second phase of 2024 Lok Sabha elections is underway in 89 constituencies in 13 states and one Union territory. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the weather is set to be normal, however, heatwave conditions are likely to persist in several states. The Election Commission of India (ECI) said in a statement on Thursday, "For convenience for voters, meticulous arrangements have been made at all polling stations including facilities, to deal with hot weather conditions."
Voter comfort
Steps taken to ensure comfortable voting conditions: ECI
For voters comfort, the polling time has been extended to 6:00pm in several polling stations across Banka, Madhepura, Khagaria, and Munger constituencies in Bihar to accommodate voters amid such weather conditions, a statement by the Press Information Bureau of India said. Talking about the facilities, the ECI said, "Assured minimum facilities like water, shed, toilets, ramps, volunteers, wheelchairs, and electricity are in place." Special attention has been given to measures to tackle hot the weather conditions, it added.
Preparations
ECI evaluates weather situation before Phase 2 polling
Before the second round of voting commenced, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar held a meeting with officials from the National Disaster Management Authority and the IMD to evaluate the weather situation. Kumar noted that recent rainfall has helped alleviate some of the heat's effects. Notably, the first and the largest phase of the general elections registered an underwhelming voter turnout of around 66.1%. According to reports, extreme heat may have contributed to the subdued voter enthusiasm.
Weather alert
Heatwave conditions in several states
According to the IMD forecast, in the coming days, several states including West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh might witness heatwave conditions in coming five days. Meanwhile, high humidity is expected in Tripura, Kerala, coastal Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Assam, Meghalaya, and Goa which could add to people's discomfort. Separately, the weather office has issued a red warning for West Bengal and Odisha and an orange alert for Bihar and parts of Karnataka.