New Delhi: The second phase election for Lok Sabha has started today, amid the shadow of multiple raids, which authorities calls it to be a cash-for-vote scam in Tamil Nadu. Voting has begun in 95 seats across 11 states, whereas in Tamil Nadu, 39 Lok Sabha seats, and 18 assembly seats are being fought for this election. The polling in the Vellore seat has been cancelled due to huge cash haul by income tax officials. 

Besides Tamil Nadu, polling is on in 14 seats in Karnataka, 10 in Maharashtra, 8 in Uttar Pradesh, 5 each in Assam, Bihar and Odisha, 3 each in Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, 2 in Jammu and Kashmir and 1 seat each in Manipur and Puducherry.

Some of the popular candidates up for election today are Union ministers Jitendra Singh, Jual Oram, Sadananda Gowda and Pon Radhakrishnan. Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and former ministers Dayanidhi Maran and A Raja, and DMK leader Kanimozhi are also among today's candidates. Actor-turned-politician Hema Malini is the star candidate from Mathura in Uttar Pradesh.

Lok Sabha and assembly elections are simultaneously being held in Odisha in four phases. Today’s candidate contesting for assembly include Odisha chief minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik, who is seeking a fifth term. He is contesting from Hinjili in Ganjam district and Bijepur in Bargarh.

The last week saw extensive campaigning from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah, Congress president Rahul Gandhi and a number of Union ministers. However, the election commission suspended four leaders from campaigning for the violation of model Code of conduct. These were Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union minister Maneka Gandhi, BSP chief Mayawati and Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan.