Contest hots up as India votes in second poll phase

Religious discrimination, affirmative action and taxes among the hot-button issues

India voted on April 26 in the second phase of the world's biggest election, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his rivals raise the pitch of the campaign by focusing on hot-button issues such as religious discrimination, affirmative action and taxes.

Almost one billion people are eligible to vote in the seven-phase election, which began on April 19 and concludes on June 1, with votes set to be counted on June 4.

Mr Modi is seeking a record-equalling third straight term on the back of his economic record, welfare measures, national pride, Hindu nationalism and personal popularity. Surveys suggest he will easily win a comfortable majority.

His challengers have formed an alliance of more than two dozen parties and are promising greater affirmative action, more handouts and an end to what they call Mr Modi's autocratic rule.

A total of 88 seats out of the 543 seats in the Lower House of Parliament went to the polls on April 26, with 160 million people eligible to vote across 13 states and federal territories.

Voter turnout around the halfway mark was 39 per cent, an Election Commission (EC) spokesperson said.

The EC and political parties were concerned that unseasonably hot weather, and weddings in some parts of the country, would affect turnout.