India election: Hot weather, weddings blamed for lower voter turnout in second phase

India held the second phase of the world's biggest election on Friday amid lower voter turnout, compared to that of the previous phase.

A total of 88 seats out of the 543 in the lower house of parliament went to the polls on Friday, with 160 million people eligible to vote across 13 states and federal territories, reports Reuters.

Approximate voter turnout data at the end of polling put Friday's turnout at 61 per cent, lower than the 65 per cent in the first phase last week, and 68 per cent in the second phase five years back.

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

Analysts say that there is no single issue strong enough to pull voters out this time and the committed Hindu nationalist base of Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may not be stepping out due to complacency or overconfidence, resulting in lower turnouts.

Meanwhile, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his rivals hurled accusations of religious discrimination and threats to democracy amid flagging voter turnout.

More than half the seats in Friday's contests were in the southern states of Kerala and Karnataka and the northwestern state of Rajasthan.

The campaign has become more heated since the first phase of voting on April 19 as Modi and the main opposition Congress party have faced off on communal issues with Modi accusing Congress of favouring minority Muslims, aiming to dilute affirmative action and planning to impose an inheritance tax.

Congress has denied the charges and said Modi fears losing and was using divisive language to distract voters from real issues such as unemployment, rising prices and rural distress.

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