India election 2024 phase 2: Who votes and what’s at stake?

Across 13 states, 88 constituencies go to the polls on April 26 in the second phase of the world’s largest election.

The juggernaut of India’s mammoth parliamentary elections rolls into the second of seven phases on April 26 with all eyes on the southern states of Kerala and Karnataka.

The contenders in round two include a former leader of India’s main opposition who has never won a general election for his party, a former top United Nations official and author, and an erstwhile Bollywood star who is running for a third time but has disappointed her constituency by her absence on the ground.

India’s general elections for 543 seats in the lower house of parliament, or Lok Sabha, kicked off on April 19. The results of the world’s largest-ever democratic exercise are set to be announced on June 4.

With 969 million registered voters – or more than the combined population of the United States, the European Union and Russia – India has the largest electorate in the world.

Apart from numerous regional and national hopefuls, the two main alliances are the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and a coalition of 28 parties called the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), led by the main opposition Indian National Congress, welded by the aim of unseating the BJP.

Voters from these 88 constituencies from 13 states and union territories will go to the ballot box:

Voting will start at 7am (01:30 GMT) and end at 6pm (12:30 GMT). Voters already in the queue by the time polls close will get to vote even if that means keeping polling stations open longer.

On April 19, 102 constituencies in 21 states voted in the first phase of the elections. Voting has