Millions of Indians have voted in a moderate turnout in the second round of multi-phase national elections as Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks to galvanise voters with his assertive brand of Hindu nationalist politics.
The election authority said in a statement that approximately 60.96 per cent of 160 million eligible voters exercised their right to cast a ballot in the second round.
The outcome of last Friday's voting will be crucial for Modi's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, as the 88 constituencies up for grabs across 13 states include some of its strongholds in states such as Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.
Most polls predict a win for Modi and the BJP, which is up against a broad opposition alliance led by the Indian National Congress and powerful regional parties.
Nearly 970 million voters — more than 10 per cent of the world's population — will elect 543 members to the lower house of Parliament for five years during the staggered election, which runs until June 1.
The votes will be counted on June 4. There are a total of 28 states in India.
The turnout in the first phase of polling on April 19 was estimated at around 62 per cent of 166.3 million eligible voters.
By comparison, India's 2019 national election registered the highest-ever voter turnout - 67.11 per cent - in the history of Indian parliamentary elections.
The turnout is expected to increase for five more rounds of voting.
Voters' relative apathy has surprised some political analysts, but they say that the BJP remains a front-runner.
Critics of the prime minister, an avowed Hindu nationalist, say India's tradition of diversity and secularism has come under attack since the BPJ won power a decade ago.
They accuse the party of fostering religious intolerance and sometimes even violence.
The party denies the accusation and says its policies benefit all Indians.
Modi stirred a huge controversy last week when he said that the Congress party, if voted to power, would distribute the country's wealth among "infiltrators" and "those who have more children," in an apparent reference to the Muslim community.
Hindus make up 80 per cent of India's 1.4 billion people, while Muslims account for 14 per cent and Christians and Sikhs 2 per cent each.
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