Voting begins in 95 seats in phase 2 of LS polls

New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) Voting began on Thursday across 95 Lok Sabha constituencies spread over 12 states and Union Territories as the second phase of the mega seven-phase electoral exercise kicked off.

Voting for electing MLAs in 35 of Odisha's 147 assembly seats also started along with polling for five of the state's 21 Lok Sabha constituencies. In these constituencies, electors will cast two votes each.

In West Bengal, a total of 49,32,346 voters -- 25,22,887 men, 24,09,372 women and 87 registered in the 'other' category -- are eligible to exercise their franchise as polling began at 7 a.m. for three constituencies in the state.

In Tamil Nadu, voting is happening in 38 out of total 39 seats as the Election Commission on Tuesday rescinded the poll for Vellore Lok Sabha constituency after the Income Tax (IT) department seized unaccounted cash from the cement warehouse allegedly belonging to a DMK functionary's relative.

Voting also started in 14 out of 28 seats in Karnataka, 10 out of 48 in Maharashtra, eight out of 80 in Uttar Pradesh, five out of 40 in Bihar, and three each in Chhattisgarh (out of 11) and West Bengal (out of 42).

Of Assam's 14 constituencies, voting started in five of them while it also began in two out of six -- Srinagar and Udhampur -- in Jammu and Kashmir, and one constituency each in Manipur and Puducherry. Polling to Tripura East, which was slated for Thursday, has been deferred to the third phase on April 23 on security concerns.

Polling also started in the lone Puducherry Lok Sabha seat and in the Thattanchavady assembly constituency for which by-election is being held.

The seven-phase Lok Sabha elections started on April 11 and would conclude on May 19. Counting of votes will take place on May 23.