Normal to below normal temperatures likely in regions going to polls today

New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts that areas participating in the Monday polls will likely experience normal to below-normal temperatures.

The fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections will see voting in 96 constituencies across 10 states and union territories. The standard voting hours, typically from 7 am to 6 pm, have been adjusted considering factors such as terrain, sunset time, and security conditions.

In response to the hot weather and the public’s hesitation to venture out in the afternoon, the Election Commission has extended the voting time in certain Telangana constituencies. The first three phases of the Lok Sabha elections saw voter turnouts of 66.14 per cent, 66.71 per cent, and 65.68 per cent respectively. The Election Commission attributes the lower voter turnout in these phases compared to the 2019 parliamentary polls to the prevailing heatwave conditions.

However, the IMD forecast cited by the poll authority on Sunday suggests no significant concerns regarding hot weather for the fourth phase of polling. The forecast indicates that the parliamentary constituencies voting on Monday are expected to experience normal to below normal temperatures (±2 degrees), with no heatwave-like conditions anticipated.