A day after the Trinamool Congress wrote to the Chief Election Commissioner demanding that the number of voters in the first two phases be made public, TMC leader Derek O'Brien on Tuesday questioned the neutrality of the poll panel.

The second phase of polling in Karnataka on Tuesday went on so smoothly that booth officials dressed up in costumes in Shivamogga managed to snag much of the attention.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hit out at RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav over his remarks favouring reservation benefits to Muslims and said the INDI alliance wants to snatch all quotas of SC, ST and OBCs and give them to their "vote bank" as part of a deeper conspiracy.

Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday paid a visit to veteran politician and former chief minister S M Krishna, who is undergoing treatment at a private hospital here, and wished him a speedy recovery.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday alleged that the Election Commission has turned a blind eye to the allegations against BJP leaders that they indulge in hate speeches during campaigns, converting the Model Code of Conduct to "Modi code of conduct".

The Karnataka High Court has granted bail to a POCSO rape accused, Lokesh Kumar, under the condition that he will marry the minor victim upon her reaching the age of majority. This decision came after both the accused and the guardian of the minor victim filed affidavits in court agreeing to the marriage arrangement.

RJD president Lalu Prasad on Tuesday said he was in favour of extending reservation benefits to Muslims.

Terming the alleged recruitment scam in West Bengal "systemic fraud", the Supreme Court on Tuesday said authorities were duty-bound to maintain the digitised records pertaining to the appointment of 25,753 teachers and non-teaching staff.