Lok Sabha election 2019, April 18: As it Happened

Karnataka BJP writes to EC over alleged "mass indiscriminate deletion of voters name in the voters list". Letter reads, "The officials have purposefully and deliberately deleted names without any reason, just to render undue official favor to the ruling coalition party."

Voter turnout in phase 2 of Lok Sabha Elections 2019: 

Assam-76.22%
Bihar-62.38%
Jammu and Kashmir-45.5%
Karnataka-67.67%
Maharashtra-61.22%
Manipur-67.15%
Odisha-57.97%
Tamil Nadu-66.36%
Uttar Pradesh-66.06%
West Bengal-76.42%
Chhattisgarh-71.40%
Puducherry-76.19%

Watch: Voting in Phase 2 of Lok Sabha Election 2019 concludes as politics intensify in Bihar, UP

A Malegaon blast victim's father and a political activist Thursday moved the special NIA court and the Election Commission respectively seeking barring of prime accused Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur from contesting the Lok Sabha polls, a day after the BJP fielded her from Bhopal. The application before the National Investigation Agency(NIA) court in Mumbai was filed by Nisar Sayeed, who lost his son in the blast in 2008.

The man who hurled a shoe at BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao during a press conference at BJP HQs has been let off by Delhi Police after joint interrogation. Police say,'nothing incriminating found from him. No complaint was received against him.His motive was to gain media's attention'

Election Commission PC begins. Second phase of General Elections concluded today. By today, polling has concluded completely in 14 states and Union Territories: EC

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi attacks BJP over Pragya Thakur's candidature from Bhopal.

The Election Commission is verifying a complaint by the opposition YSR Congress against Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on alleged violation of the model code of conduct.

"We are verifying all facts related to the issue. The MCC is very clear and it will remain in force till May 27 when the entire election process gets over. If there is any violation, we will take appropriate action, including against officials concerned," state Chief Electoral Officer Gopal Krishna Dwivedi told reporters here, a day after the YSR Congress lodged a complaint against Naidu on alleged violation of the model code of conduct (MCC).

Jammu and Kashmir BJP writes to the Election Commission of India demanding FIR against Ghulam Nabi Azad, Vikramaditya Singh, and Waqar Rasool Wani for allegedly violating Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

Taking a dig at the grand alliance of opposition parties, BJP president Amit Shah Thursday said there will a new prime minister everyday of
the week if such a "mahamilawat" or "highly adulterated" government comes to power at the Centre.

Addressing an election rally here in Bilaspur district, Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the only leader in the country who can give a befittingreply to Pakistan for its anti-India actions.

"There are two camps clearly visible in this election - one NDA and its allies led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi which is united and then there is mahamilawat (highly adulterated) gathbandhan of Rahul Baba and company," he said.

"When I asked them that if by mistake their alliance gets elected, who will be your Prime Ministerial candidate...? silence is the only answer I get.

"One of my party workers sent me a message on WhatsApp about their planning if they get elected. That is, on Monday Sharad Pawar will be the PM, while on Tuesday it will be Mayawati.

"On Wednesday it would be Akhilesh Yadav, Deve Gowda on Thursday, Stalin on Friday and Mamata Didi on Saturday while on Sunday the country will be on leave," he said, mocking the anti-BJP alliance.

That is the reason why people shout slogans of 'Modi Modi' as they know only he can provide a strong and stable leadership, the BJP chief added.

62.39% voter turnout has been recorded till 6 pm.

BSP supremo Mayawati Thursday alleged that the Election Commission has an anti-dalit mindset and that was why it had stopped her from
campaigning in Agra, considered the 'Dalit capital' of northern India.

She also claimed that BJP leaders are taking the Army's name in their poll speeches violating the model code of conduct, but the EC is keeping mum.

Mayawati, a dalit leader, also described the proposed 'NYAY' scheme as the 'jumla' of the Congress.

"The Election Commission, which has an anti-dalit mindset, stopped me from campaigning in the capital of dalits, Agra. Victory of BSP candidates in order to form its government at the Centre will be the appropriate reply to the Commission," Mayawati said at a poll meeting.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi said Thursday that Minimum Support Prices (MSP) would also be announced in the separate farmers' budget which his party's manifesto has promised.

Addressing a campaign rally at Vanthli in Junagadh district, he also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of applying different rules to the rich and the poor.

"If the Congress comes to power, the country will have two budgets. One will be national budget and another farmers' budget.

"In the farmers' budget we will announce MSP for various crops in advance so that farmers know what they will get. We will (also) announce the amount of insurance (premium) payable (by farmers) and what the would farmers get," he said.

The Modi government was ready to waive loans of rich industrialists but not those of farmers, he said.

"We will not allow formation of two Indias. If we have one flag, then we should have one nation. If Ambani gets justice, farmers should also get justice," Gandhi said.

Opposition Shiromani Akali Dal Thursday urged the Election Commission to transfer Muktsar police chief Manjit Singh Dhesi expressing apprehension that a free and fair elections was not possible under his supervision.

In a written complaint to the ECI, the party has alleged that the Muktsar Senior Superintendent of Police played a "partisan role" during panchayat and zila parishad elections last year.

"During the block samiti and zila parishad elections last year, a number of incidents of booth capturing and bogus voting were reported from various places with the most such incidents occurring in Shri Muktsar Sahib.

"SAD supporters were threatened and even expelled from polling booths," party spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema alleged in a statement

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday said the NRC, which the BJP proposes to implement in the country if it comes to power, will boomerang on the saffron party and become the "NBC - National Bidaay (Farewell) Certificate".

Banerjee, who was addressing a poll rally at Maldaha North parliamentary constituency, reiterated that she will not allow NRC in the state and called upon the people to throw out the Modi government for its 'divisive politics'.

She also hit out at the Congress and the CPI-M saying that they had lost their relevance.

"We will not allow NRC in Bengal and the decision for NRC will boomerang on the BJP and become the NBC or 'National Bidaay (Farewell) Certificate'. The Modi government must be thrown out," Banerjee said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday said the ruling Congress and JDS in Karnataka differ on every issue but were united on backing dynasty and corruption and speaking ill about nationalism and him.

At an election rally here, he also lashed out at Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy of JDS for his reported remark that only those who can't meet two square meals a day join the armed forces.

"....the chief minister says only those who are hungry go to armed forces; this family (Deve Gowda's) should be thrown out from the public life," Modi said.

He also told the crowd, "your vote will decide whether those saying Bharat Mata ki Jai will be honoured or those who chant 'Tukde-Tukde'". 

Union Minister and BJP leader Maneka Gandhi Thursday filed her nomination papers for the Sultanpur Lok Sabha seat here.

The Union Cabinet Minister for Women and Child Development performed a 'puja' at her Shastri Nagar residence in the morning and then drove to the Collectorate in a procession to file her papers along with senior party leaders.

Later addressing an election meeting at the Pt. Deendayal Upadhaya park in the Super Market area, Maneka exhorted the people to cast their votes in large numbers.

BJP candidate from Bhopal Sadhvi Pragya Thakur on Thursday accused the Congress of being anti-Hindu and said the party harassed a woman by linking Hindus with terrorism.

Thakur is an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case in which seven people were killed. She was in jail for nine years and is presently out on bail.

She joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday and, thereafter, the saffron party announced her as its candidate against senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh.

Addressing a press conference here, Thakur said: "The Congress has linked Hindus with terrorism, called them terrorists and harassed a woman. The names that I given and the way I was tortured, how do I believe this won't be repeated with other women in the future?"

Samajwadi Party (SP) nominee Poonam Sinha, wife of actor-turned politician Shatrughan Sinha who had rebelled against the BJP leadership, Thursday filed her nomination papers for the Lucknow parliamentary seat from where Union Minister Rajnath Singh is seeking re-election.

Accompanied by SP MP Dimple Yadav and Shatrughan Sinha, Poonam filed her papers at the Collectorate as the candidate for the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in the seat, which goes to polls on May 6.

Clad in a green saree, the SP nominee, who had joined the party two days ago, arrived at the Collectorate in the afternoon after a road show. Thursday is the last date for filing of nominations for the seat.

Her husband, Shatrughan Sinha, was present during the filing of the nomination as well as the road show, which was taken out from the party office. 

"Congress-JDS differ on every issue but united on backing dynasty and corruption and speaking ill about nationalism and Modi," says PM Modi

A little over half of Tamil Nadu's over 5.84 crore voters cast their votes in 38 Lok Sabha seats Thursday till 3 PM, even as the DMK charged the ruling AIADMK with planning to do "booth-capturing" later in the day.

Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Satyabrata Sahoo said no reports of booth capturing or any other untoward incident regarding law and order has been received so far.

He said the voter turnout in 38 Lok Sabha segments stood at 52.02 per cent at 3 PM, while maintating that polling was peaceful.

Karur recorded the highest voter turnout at 56.85 per cent while Chennai Central clocked the lowest at 45.65 per cent, according to the EC data.

Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur broke down while addressing BJP workers. She alleged that she was tortured by authorities when she was in jail during UPA government's tenure. Pragya Singh is contesting Lok Sabha on BJP ticket. She will be facing Congress' Digvijay Singh.

Sam Pitroda, Indian Overseas Congress Chief: As an engineer, as technical expert, I'm not satisfied with EVM (Electronic Voting Machine), but I've not been able to pinpoint because we don't have EVM. If someone gives us EVM to study for 1 year, we'll be able to tell you something

Kishanganj - 56.7%
Katihar - 50%
Purnea- 54%
Bhagalpur - 46%
Banka - 54.3%

Jalpaiguri (SC) - 71.32%

Darjeeling - 63.14%

Raiganj - 61.84 %

"Congress is facing existential crisis; it is trying to divide society," Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, while addressing a rally in Karnataka.

He adds, "The drama unfolding here in the state for the past one year is refusing to end. This drama has everything including emotions and revenge. The situation is such that we get to see overflow of emotions regularly in rallies and press conferences."

An estimated 36.31 per centvoter turnout was reported till 1 PM Thursday in Karnataka, where 14 Lok Sabha constituencies are going to the polls in the first phase.

The Congress-JD(S) alliance and BJP are in direct contest in Karnataka.

The highest turnout was recorded in Dakshina Kannada district with 48.84per cent and the lowest in Bangalore central with 28.65 per cent till 1 pm, poll officials said.

The other constituencies in Bangalore region which reported low turn out are-Bangalore North 29.69 per cent, Bangalore South 30.70 and Bangalore Rural 32.36.

Jammu and Kashmir recorded nearly 30 per cent polling till 1 pm in Udhampur and Srinagar Lok Sabha constituencies Thursday, poll officials said. 

Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency recorded 44.9 per cent polling, with Kathua district registering the highest of 49.7 per cent voting till 1.00 pm, they said.  

Srinagar Lok Sabha seat registered 9.1 per cent polling, with highest 11.4 per cent polling recorded in Shia dominated Budgam district till 1.00 pm.
  
Polling began on a peaceful note Thursday in the two Lok Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir, with voters in border district of Kathua and Udhampur turning up early morning to exercise their franchise, officials said.

Voter turnout in Maharashtra till 1 pm was recorded to be 35.4 per cent.

Back from an Election Commission ban for campaigning for 48 hours, BSP chief Mayawati Thursday lashed out at BJP and its leaders for levelling "unfounded" charges on opposition parties, including allegations that they were abusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"Besides levelling unfounded allegations in these elections, BJP leaders, including PM Modi, have had no control over their tongue...like the charge that Opposition abuses them. This is most indecent and unrestrained," Mayawati said in a statement issued here in Hindi.

At the same time, she cautioned, opposition leaders too should not cross the line of decency and not give BJP an excuse to exploit public sentiment to hide its weaknesses.

Mayawati was among four leaders, including BJP's Yogi Adityanath, who were banned by EC for varying periods for violating the moral code of conduct during election campaign.

Mayawati's 48-hour ban has ended while Adityanath has one more day left before his 72-hour ban ends.

Returning to the poll campaign, she has also accused the UP chief minister of "blatantly" violating the ban imposed on him, after Adityanath tried to canvass by visiting temples.

The Election Commission in Madhya Pradesh has banned the 'Chowkidar Chor Hai' advertisement of the Congress party and ordered an end to its broadcast.

The Joint Chief Election Officer on Wednesday issued a notice to all the state district officers saying that the media certification and inspection committee has cancelled the ad certification and it should be discontinued. 

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BJP president Amit Shah Thursday said Kashmir is an integral part of India and cannot be separated from the country till a single BJP worker is alive, irrespective of whether the party is in power or not.

Addressing an election rally in Raigarh district headquarters in Chhattisgarh, he said when the Modi government is re-elected at the Centre, infiltrators will be identified across the country and deported.

"Election is underway in Jammu and Kashmir and an ally of Congress, leader of National Conference Omar Abdullah had advocated for a prime minister in Kashmir. Do you think it's possible that a country can have two PMs? I have been asking Rahul baba to clarify his stand on the (Abdullah's) statement, but he is silent," Shah said slamming Congress chief Rahul Gandhi.

"Rahul baba listen carefully...Presently there is a government headed by Modi ji and it will be re-elected. But even if we are not in power, nobody can separate Kashmir from India till a single BJP worker is alive. Kashmir is an integral part of India and if anyone says that it will be isolated from the country, then people of the country will not tolerate it," he added.

Faced with criticism for turning the JD(S) into a family enterprise, party supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda Thursday said people and party workers wanted his grandsons Nikhil Kumaraswamy and Prajwal Revanna to contest from Mandya and Hassan Lok Sabha
constituencies.

Speaking to reporters after casting his vote in Hassan, Gowda said his opponents accused him of indulging in familypolitics but his rise in politics was possible because of God and voters, whom his family served to the best of its ability.

A static surveillance squad on Thursday seized Rs 4 lakh in cash from the vehicle of a BJP candidate in Dhenkanal district, police said.

The cash was seized after Ashok Nayak, who is contesting from Hindol assembly seat, could not provide satisfactory answers about the source of the money, Dhenkanal SP Anupama James said.

The car was intercepted by the special team of Odisha police near Mangalpur chhak on Bhapur-Dhenkanal road.

Nayak was being interrogated at Dhenkanal Town police station, the SP said.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav Thursday expressed concern over reports of EVM malfunctions in some parts of the Uttar Pradesh where polling for the second phase of the Lok Sabha polls are taking place and asked the Election Commission to take immediate steps to rectify them.

The Election Commission on Wednesday suspended an officer posted as general observer in Odisha for allegedly checking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's helicopter in Sambalpur in violation of norms.

Mohammed Mohsin, a 1996-batch Karnataka cadre IAS officer, has not acted in conformity with the EC's instructions concerning Special Protection Group (SPG) protectees, according to an order issued by the commission.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday said Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's imposing statue in Gujarat has not been built to "belittle" former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

Speaking at an election rally here, Modi said though the Congress says Patel was their leader, no leader of that party has visited the statue so far.

"Don't you feel proud when the Statue of Unity and Gujarat's name appear when you search for the world's tallest statue on Google?

"I have not built Sardar Patel's statue to belittle Pandit Nehru. Patel's stature is so tall that you don't have to try too hard to make others look smaller," Modi said in his speech, most of which was in Gujarati.

From what we saw, a shoe was hurled at Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader GVL Narasimha Rao during a press briefing. BJP's Bhupendra Yadav was also present during the presser. The police is presently questioning the culprit, Dr. Shakti Bhargav. 

Bhargav's mother, in conversation with India TV, claimed that he had nothing to do with the hospital they own in Kanpur. Daya Bhargav further said she had disowned Shakti two years ago. It is believed that Shakti had discontentment over individual issues, ruling out any political motive behind the incident. 

Election officials have ordered an inquiry after some voters recorded their voting process at a polling booth here and posted it on Facebook,
police said.

As per Election Commission guidelines, voters are not allowed to carry their mobile phones within a 100-metre radius of polling stations on the day of voting, an official said.

"This action (Facebook video) is a clear violation of the EC guidelines and also against the principles of secret ballot," an official said.

Cases are also being registered under Cyber Act against the concerned people, who have been asked to delete the video on Facebbook, an official said.

Former MP Jagmeet Singh Brar, who was expelled from the Congress and later went on to join the Trinamool Congress, Thursday said he will join the Akali Dal on April 19 at Muktsar in Punjab.

"In my political and personal capacity, I have been driven by virtues and principles of Guru Nanak. Hence, I want to inform all well wishers who have stood by me that I will be joining the Shiromani Akali Dal tomorrow at Shri Muktsar Sahib,” Brar tweeted on Thursday.

“While I live and breathe politics for and by the people, the Akali Dal gives me an opportunity to further my objectives of Sikhism and Punjab. At every step, I have raised issues for the people and will continue to do so,” he said.

Brar, who had been the permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee (CWC) for 10 years, was expelled from the party in 2016.

"India will be freed of poverty the day it gets rid of the Congress party," says Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

BJP MP candidate from Amroha Kanwar Singh Tanwar has alleged fake voting in the Lok Sabha constituency. 

"Fake voting is happening. Women in burqas are not being checked for their identity. I heard a man wearing burqa was also caught," he said.

Kishaganj - 26.2%
Katihar - 25%
Purnea- 25.5%
Bhagalpur - 23%
Banka - 28.3%

Naxals triggered an IED blast on Thursday in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon district where polling for Lok Sabha elections is underway, a senior police official said.

No casualty was reported in the incident, he said.

"The rebels detonated the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) around 10.30 am between Medha and Dabba villages, falling under Manpur-Mohla Assembly segment, when a team of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police team was out on area domination operation in view of polling in the area," he said.

No harm was caused to the security personnel as the explosion took place a few metres away from them, he said, adding that a combing operation was underway in the area.

Poonam Sinha, wife of Shatrughan Sinha, files nomination from the Lucknow Lok Sabha seat. Her main opponent is Union home minister Rajnath Singh.

A 22-year-old BJP Yuva Morcha member Sisupal Sahis was found hanging from a tree in Senabana village of West Bengal's Arsha (Purulia) today. Police has started an investigation.

Voter turnout in Assam is 26.39%, in Chhattisgarh is 26.2%

A case has been registered against the Samajwadi Party candidate from here for allegedly making derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Circle officer of Chandausi, Poonam Mishra, Thursday said, "SP candidate Shafiqur Rehman Burq had made derogatory remarks against the Prime Minister during an election meeting on April 11." 

A case has been registered against him under a section of the Representation of People Act and section 506 of IPC (punishment for criminal intimidation)."

Upset over absence of a polling booth in their village, residents of Gujjupura in UP's Bijnor district boycotted voting in the initial hours of polling Thursday. 

However, with the district administration intervening, voters later went on to cast their vote.

The polling booth comes under Nagina (SC) parliamentary constituency.
District Magistrate, Bijnor, Sujeet Kumar told PTI that "In Gujjupura, the number of voters is less than 300, and hence under the instructions of the Election Commission, it was merged with the next polling booth located less than two kilometres from the village". 

"As per standards set up by the Election Commission, if a polling booth in located within two kilometres from a village, and after adding the
smaller-size booth (less than 300 voters) to the bigger size, if the number of voters do not exceed 1,400; then they can be merged. This was done in this case," he said. 

Voter turnout in Bihar till 11am has been recorded at 18.97 per cent. In Uttar Pradesh, 24.31 per cent polling has been registered.

23% in Aligarh, Hathras 26%, Nagina 24%, Agra 25%, Bulandshahr 25%, Amroha 25%, Fatehpur Sikri 24%, Mathura 24%

An incident of violence reported in West Bengal’s Raiganj during the second phase of polling for Lok Sabha elections 2019, on Thursday.

Lok Sabha Elections 2019 Live Updates: Former Prime Minister and JDS leader HD Deve Gowda and his wife cast their votes at a polling station in Hassan's Paduvalahippe.

A polling official deputed at polling booth number 186 in Chhattisgarh's Kanker has died of a heart attack during election duty in the second phase of voting in Lok Sabha Election 2019. 

As per latest inputs, the voter turnout in Bihar is recorded to be 19.5 per cent till 10 AM. 

Dynasty politics isn't an important issue now,country's problems are the main issue.Only because of dynasty politics®ional politics,this country developed in several states.We're not bothered abt criticism from BJP: K'taka CM HD Kumaraswamy after casting his vote in Ramanagara

DMK president MK Stalin casts his vote at polling booth at SIET College in Teynampet, Chennai.

BJP MP Hema Malini exudes confidence, says 'I've done great work'

Senior Congress leader Sushilkumar Shinde attacks Prime Minister Narendra Modi, says the country no longer has faith in him. 

Polling percentage till now 

Karnataka: CM HD Kumaraswamy, his wife Anitha Kumaraswamy and their son & JD(S) candidate from Mandya, Nikhil, cast their votes at a polling station in Ramanagara

Bihar election voting latest updates: Congress symbol seen outside polling booth at Triveni Nayak School in Katihar; Five parliamentary constituencies in the state are voting in Lok Sabha Elections 2019 today.

Odisha: Voting procedure was halted at booths 261 and 263 in Bolangir Lok Sabha constituency due to EVM malfunction. The voting has now resumed.

17 % polling in Darjeeling till 9 am. Voting is taking place in three Lok Sabha constituencies in West Bengal.

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh casts his vote at a polling booth in Imphal.

DMK Lok Sabha candidate from Thoothukudi, Kanimozhi casts her vote at a polling station in Chennai's Alwarpet, says, "People in the opposition have been harassed, raids targeted at opposition candidates. BJP have completely taken over AIADMK." 

Karnataka Deputy CM G Parameshwara and his wife Kannika Parameshwari casting their votes at a polling booth in Koratagere, Tumkur

Lok Sabha Election 2019 Live Updates | Puducherry: Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi stands in queue to cast her vote

Lok Sabha Election 2019 Live Updates | Tamil Nadu: CM Edappadi K Palanisamy cast his vote at a polling station in Edappadi, Selam.

Tamil Nadu: Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan and his daughter Shruti Haasan queue up outside polling station 27 at Alwarpet Corporation School in Chennai to cast their votes for Lok Sabha elections 2019.

Karnataka: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman arrives at polling booth 54 in Jayanagar of Bangalore South Parliamentary constituency to cast her vote. 

Lok Sabha Election 2019 Live Updates | Tamil Nadu: Nalini Chidambaram, Karti Chidambaram and his wife Srinidi Rangarajan cast their votes at a polling station in Karaikudi, Sivaganga for Lok Sabha elections 2019.

Assam: Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) machine not working properly at a polling station in Silchar. Polling officers trying to fix it. 

Maharashtra: Congress leader Sushilkumar Shinde casts his vote

Tamil Nadu: Actor turned politician Rajinikanth casts his vote

Tamil Nadu: Congress leader P Chidambaram casts his vote at a polling station in Karaikudi, Sivaganga.

Karnataka: Visuals from polling station number 235 in Ramnagara

Assam: Outside visuals from polling station number 37 & 38 in Nagaon parliamentary constituency

Maharashtra: Preparation underway for Lok Sabha Elections 2019

The stage is set for the second phase of polling for the Lok Sabha election 2019, on Thursday. Ninety-five constituencies, spread over 11 States and one Union Territory, will go to polls.