BJP leader Maneka Gandhi on Thursday filed her nomination for the Sultanpur Lok Sabha seat, news agency PTI reported. In the morning, the Union Cabinet Minister for Women and Child Development performed a 'puja' at her Shastri Nagar residence and then drove in a procession to file her papers along with senior party leaders.

Gandhi won from Pilibhit constituency while her son Varun Gandhi was elected from Sultanpur Lok Sabha seat in the 2014 Lok sabha elections. This time, the mother-son duo have swapped the constituencies.

Father of a victim in Malegaon blast has filed application against Sadhvi Pragya Thakur after she was declared BJP candidate from Bhopal. Application has questioned her candidature before NIA court citing her health which was one of the reasons in her bail application,

Sadhvi Pragya joined BJP on April 17 and has been given the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat which has been the saffron party's stronghold for the last thirty years.

Sadhvi Pragya, a religious and political leader, grabbed headlines when she was arrested in September 2008 Malegaon blast case but was acquitted in December 2017 of charges under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) by the Special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court.

Citing technical reasons in EVM machines and VVPATs, Surendra Kumar, Chief Electoral Officer, Odisha has recommended re-polling in booth 213 in Sundergarh, booth 129 in Bonai, and booths and 222 in Daspalla assembly constituency.

Surendra Kumar, Chief Electoral Officer told ANI that the technical problems arose due to lapses on part of the polling officers, and action will be taken against those officers for dereliction of duty.

"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, " Sam Pitroda, Indian Overseas Congress Chief. 

Voter turnout till 3 PM for 2nd phase of LokSabhaElections 2019

Maharashtra - 46.63% Tamil Nadu - 52.02%, Odisha - 53%Manipur - 67.5% Uttar Pradesh - 50.39% Chhattisgarh - 59.72% Karnataka - 49.26%

Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency average polling till 3pm: 59.1%Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency average polling till 3pm: 12.4%

Aam Aadmi Party candidate from West Delhi , Balbir Singh Jakhar, files nomination.  AAP leader Gopal Rai is also present.

Delhi will go to polls for seven seats in the sixth phase on May 12. In 2014 general elections, the BJP had sweeped all the seven seats – New Delhi, East Delhi, Chandni Chowk, North East Delhi, North West Delhi (SC), South Delhi and West Delhi. 

After Bangladeshi actor Ferdous Ahmed was asked to leave India for allegedly campaigning for TMC candidate, another actor from the country is in a hot soup.

Bangladeshi actor Ghazi Abdul Noor, who attended a political rally in Dumdum, West Bengal has been asked to leave India, MHA sources have been quoted as saying by news agency, ANI. In any case, his visa had expired, it is being reported. Moreover, appropriate action is also being taken regarding his overstay in contravention of visa validity.

"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 an overflow of emotions regularly in rallies and press conferences, " Prime Minister Modi said during his rally at Karnataka's  Bagalkot. 

Election Commission of India asked Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to refrain from using references to security forces for political propaganda and to be careful in the future, reported ANI.  Earlier in April, the EC had served notice to UP CM Yogi Adityanath after he called the Indian Army as "Modi ki sena (Modi's army) at a rally in Ghaziabad.

On 19 March, the Election Commission had issued an advisory to all political parties to "desist" from indulging in any propaganda involving actions taken by defence forces during the Lok Sabha poll campaigns.

A 95-year-old man collapsed and later died while waiting for his turn to vote at a polling booth in Ganjam, Odisha. He was rushed to a local hospital where doctors declared him dead, reports ANI.

Bihar has recorded 32% voting till 1 pm as polling on five seats in phase 2 of Lok Sabha elections continues. The seats where polling is being held today are Bhagalpur, Banka, Purnea, Katihar, and Kishanganj.

Bihar has recorded 32% voting till 1 pm as polling on five seats in phase 2 of Lok Sabha elections continues. The seats where polling is being held today are Bhagalpur, Banka, Purnea, Katihar, and Kishanganj.

Maharashtra has recorded 35.4% voter turnout phase 2 polling for Lok Sabha election 2019. Voting is underway in Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, Hingoli, Nanded, Parbhani, Beed, Osmanabad, Latur, Solapur seats.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has filed nomination from Azamgarh parliamentary constituency. The BJP has fielded famous Bhojpuri film star Dinesh Lal Yadav 'Nirahua' from the seat.

SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav files nomination from Azamgarh parliamentary constituency. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/RBsiBnjUX4

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 18, 2019

Reports of clashes between workers of Bharatiya Janata Party and Trinamool Congress coming in from West Bengal. According to news agency ANI, an EVM was vandalised during clashes in Chopra. Voting is underway on three Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal in second phase of Lok Sabha elections.

A man claiming to be a journalist hurled a shoe at senior BJP leader GVL Narasimha Rao during a press conference at party headquarters in New Delhi. The man, who was seated in the front row, was immediately taken out of the conference hall. Click here  to know what actually happened.

A jawan of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has been injured in an IED blast triggered by the Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon area. Voting is underway on three Lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh - Kanker, Rajnandgaon and Mahasamund.

Body of BJP Yuva Morcha member Sisupal Sahis, 22, found hanging from a tree in Purulia, West Bengal. Police have launched a probe. More details are awaited. Voting on three parliamentary seats - Jalpaiguri (SC), Darjeeling and Raiganj - is underway in phase 2 of Lok Sabha election 2019. 

Tamil Nadu has recorded 30.62% turnout till 11 am in phase 2 of Lok Sabha election. Voting on 38 parliamentary constituencies in Tamil Nadu is underway. The Election Commission had cancelled polling on Vellore seat after recovery of a huge amount of cash days ahead of voting.

Voter turnout till 11 am in Phase 2 of Lok Sabha Election 2019

Uttar Pradesh - 24.31%

Bihar - 18.97%

Assam - 26.39%

Chhattisgarh - 26.2%.

BJP candidate from Mathura Hema Malini is confident of her victory. Talking to news ANI, the actor-turned-politician said while SP-BSP have been fighting against each other, she has carried out several developmental works in the constituency. WATCH VIDEO: 

#WATCH BJP MP Candidate from Mathura, Hema Malini says, "Development in Mathura is all due to my efforts. SP-BSP are only engaged in fighting with each other. There is a huge Modi wave here." #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/6Xm5dWWz2u

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 18, 2019

CPM leader Mohammed Salim's car attacked in Raiganj, West Bengal. More details are awaited. Mohammed Salim had won from Raiganj constituency in 2014. 

West Bengal: CPM candidate from Raiganj Mohammad Salim's vehicle attacked in Islampur; CPM has alleged that TMC is behind the attack. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/TrtdrU7sb7

— ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2019

Around 11 per cent voter turnout has been recorded in the first two hours of polling in three Lok Sabha constituencies of Chhattisgarh. Voting in the second phase of polling in the state is underway in Kanker, Rajnandgaon and Mahasamund Lok Sabha seats. Read full story here

Union Minister and BJP candidate from Buxar, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, casts his vote at a polling station in Bhagalpur.  Polling on five seats is underway in Bihar. 

Bihar: Union Minister and BJP candidate from Buxar, Ashwini Kumar Choubey, cast his vote at a polling station in Bhagalpur. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/6Kg9gwRWi2

— ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2019

Rahul Gandhi mentions 'Nyay' in his tweet urging people to vote during the ongoing second phase of Lok Sabha elections. "When you vote today, remember that you vote for Nyay. Nyay for our unemployed youth; for our struggling farmers; for the small traders whose businesses were destroyed by Demonetisation; for those who were persecuted because of their caste or religion," the Congress president says in his tweet.  

When you vote today, remember that you vote for Nyay.Nyay for our unemployed youth; for our struggling farmers; for the small traders whose businesses were destroyed by Demonetisation; for those who were persecuted because of their caste or religion. #VoteNyayVoteCongress pic.twitter.com/VvEZPPX5b8

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 18, 2019

Bharatiya Janata Party's candidate from Amroha, Uttar Pradesh, Kanwar Singh Tanwar has alleged fake voting. Talking to a television channel, Tanwar claimed that women in burqa were indulging in fake voting in some of the polling booths of the constituency. 

A newly married couple is at a polling station in Udhampur to cast their votes for Lok Sabha Election 2019. Polling is underway on two seats - Srinagar and Udhampur - in Jammu and Kashmir in phase 2 of Lok Sabha elections.  

Jammu & Kashmir: A newly married couple arrive at a polling station in Udhampur to cast their votes for #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/RWTHAmAEwE

— ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2019

Polling percentage recorded in Assam (5 seats) - 9.51% , Jammu and Kashmir (2 seats) - 0.99%, Karnataka (14 seats) 1.14%, Maharashtra (10 seats) - 0.85%, Manipur (1) - 1.78% , Odisha (5 seats)- 2.15%, Tamil Nadu (38 seats ) - 0.81%, Uttar Pradesh (8 seats) - 3.99%, West Bengal (3 seats) - 0.55%, Chhattisgarh (3 seats) -7.75% and Puducherry - 1.62% till 9 am. 

Talking to reporters after casting her vote in Chennai, DMK Lok Sabha candidate from Thoothukudi, Kanimozhi accuses BJP of harassing opposition leaders. "People in the opposition have been harassed, raids targeted at opposition candidates. BJP have completely taken over AIADMK," she said. 

Tamil Nadu: 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." #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/tWH81q0ewR

— ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2019

In Bihar, where voting is being held on five seats in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections, 12.27 per cent polling has been reported till 9 am. 

Polling is yet to begin on booth number 46 in Gantholi village of Govardhan block in Mathura parliamentary constituency due to a glitch in EVM. BJP's Hema Malini is up against Rashtriya Lok Dal's Kunwar Narendra Singh from the seat.

In Tamil Nadu, 38 out of 39 seats are up for voting. This southern state is crucial for the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) which is contesting this election in alliance with ruling AIADMK — the party which swept the region in the last elections by bagging 37 out of 39 seats with over 44 per cent vote share. | Read full story here

Five per cent voting has been reported in Bihar till 8 am. Polling is being held on five seats - Bhagalpur, Banka,  Purnea, Katihar, Kishanganj - in Bihar in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections.

A pregnant woman and her husband cast their votes at polling booth number 164 in Nehru Nagar of Solapur in Maharashtra.  

Maharashtra: A pregnant woman and her husband, after casting their vote at polling booth number 164 in Nehru Nagar of Solapur. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/NXx0zOLcDY

— ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2019

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati has accused Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath of violating the campaigning ban imposed on him by the Election Commission. In a series of tweets, Mayawati questioned why the Election Commission has turned a blind eye towards Adityanath's temple visits and him having food at a Dalit's home.  

चुनाव आयोग की पाबंदी का खुला उल्लंघन करके यूपी के सीएम योगी शहर- शहर व मन्दिरों में जाकर एवं दलित के घर बाहर का खाना खाने आदि का ड्रामा करके तथा उसको मीडिया में प्रचारित/प्रसारित करवाके चुनावी लाभ लेने का गलत प्रयास लगातार कर रहे हैं किन्तु आयोग उनके प्रति मेहरबान है, क्यों?

— Mayawati (@Mayawati) April 18, 2019

Puducherry Governor Kiran Bedi casts her vote. Voting is underway in 95 parliamentary constituencies across 11 states and one Union Territory in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections.  

#Puducherry: Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi stands in queue to cast her vote in #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/ed5MxS7aVJ

— ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2019

Actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan and his daughter Shruti Haasan cast their vote in Chennai. Voting is being held on 38 seats in Tamil Nadu today.  

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. #LokSabhaElections2019 pic.twitter.com/ufeYNJ3pdM

— ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2019