Polling for the first phase of high- voltage Uttar Pradesh assembly elections today recorded a moderate 55 per cent turnout on an incident-free day after a sluggish start due to rain, with Mayawati's ruling BSP facing a tough challenge from Congress, BJP and SP.
After an initial lull, polling picked up quickly after midday as the weather cleared with over 55 per cent of the 1.7 crore-strong electorate, which included 70 lakh women, exercising its franchise, state election officials said.
Polling was held in 55 constituencies spread over 10 districts -- Sitapur, Barabanki, Faizabad, Ambedkar Nagar, Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Gonda, Siddharth Nagar and Basti amidst tight security arrangements. The candidates include 796 men, 65 women and one eunuch.
The first phase of elections for the 403-member assembly will seal the fate of two ministers, 31 MLAs and 15 former ministers.
Long queues of voters were seen at polling booths in several areas in late afternoon. "The biggest problem was that of rain in the initial hours, but later the response from the electorate was good," Chief Electoral Officer Umesh Sinha said.
Amidst complaints of EVM malfunctioning, a lower turnout was registered in Bahraich district, while in Sitapur, where people boycotted polling in Gularia village in Misrikh assembly seat to protest lack of development, officials said.
In Gonda, nearly 800 voters boycotted poll process at booth number 34 in Mehnaun assembly seat to protest shifting of the polling station three kilometres away from the village.
The remaining phases of polling will be held on February 11, 15, 19, 23, 28 and March 3. Counting of votes will take place on March 6
Previously,
UP state elections: Over 28 pc polling in first six hours
After a slow start due to rain, polling for the first phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections picked up by the afternoon with 28.35 per cent of the over 1.70 crore electorate exercising their franchise.
As the weather started improving, people started coming out in large number to exercise their franchise.
"In the first six hours, 28.35 per cent polling was registered in 55 assembly seats spread over 10 districts," Chief Electoral Officer Umesh Sinha told PTI.
Amidst complaints of EVM malfunctioning, 31 per cent polling was recorded in Bahraich district.
Sitapur, where people boycotted polling in Gularia village in Misrikh assembly seat to protest lack of development, registered 33 per cent polling by 1 PM.
Similarly in Gonda, which recorded 32 per cent polling till 1 PM, nearly 800 voters boycotted poll process at booth number 34 in Mehnaun assembly seat to protest shifting of polling station three kilometres away from the village.
Polling also picked up in in Faizabad where 30 per cent electorate exercised their franchise till 1 PM as compared to 14 per cent in the first two hours.
Maximum 40.2 per cent polling till 1 PM was recorded in Ambedkar Nagar district, where a long queue of voters were witnessed at polling stations. Lowest poll percentage 25.5 per cent was recorded in Siddharth Nagar district followed by 26.5 per cent in neighbouring Basti district.
Initially, heavy rain in most of the assembly seats for which polling is being held played, spoilsport.
In Basni Assembly seat in Siddharth Nagar, not a single vote was cast in the first two hours of polling due to heavy rains, officials said.
Polling is being held in 10 districts -- Sitapur, Barabanki, Faizabad, Ambedkar Nagar, Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Gonda, Siddharth Nagar and Basti amidst tight security arrangements.
More than 1.70 crore electorate- 952.87 lakh men and 70.44 lakh women - are expected to seal the fate of 862 candidates.
The candidates include 796 men, 65 women and one eunuch.
Maximum 26 candidates are in fray for Barabanki seat, whereas Mehmoodabad has minimum number of 8 candidates.
Stakes are high for ruling BSP, Congress, SP and the BJP in the no holds barred fight for the 403 assembly seats.
Today's polling would decide the future of cabinet minister Lalji Verma, minister of state Sangram Singh Verma, 31 sitting MLAs, 15 former ministers and relatives of several MPs including Union Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma.
It would be a litmus test for Congress leaders, including Beni Prasad Verma and National Commission for Scheduled Caste Chairman P L Punia as both of them represent the areas going to the polls.
Previous report :
UP assembly elections: First phase polling begins, rains mar show
Polling began on Wednesday on a moderate to brisk note amid tight security for the first phase of the high-voltage Uttar Pradesh assembly elections that will decide the fate of two ministers, 31 MLAs and 15 former ministers.
The polling started at 7 AM for 55 seats spread over 10 districts — Sitapur, Barabanki, Faizabad, Ambedkar Nagar, Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Gonda, Siddharth Nagar and Basti — amidst tight security arrangements, chief electoral officer Umesh Sinha said here.
More than 1.70 lakh electorates - 952.87 lakh male and 70.44 lakh female - are expected to seal the fate of 862 candidates.
The candidates include 796 men, 65 women and one eunuch.
Maximum 26 candidates are in fray for Barabanki seat, whereas Mehmoodabad has minimum number of 8 candidates.
Stakes are high for ruling BSP, Congress, SP and the BJP in the no holds barred fight for the 403 assembly seats.
Wednesday's polling would decide the future of cabinet minister Lalji Verma, minister of state Sangram Singh Verma, 31 sitting MLAs, 15 former ministers and relatives of several MPs including union steel minister Beni Prasad Verma.
It would be a litmus test for Congress leaders, including Beni Prasad Verma and national commission for scheduled caste chairman P L Punia as both of them represent the areas going to the polls.
While Gonda MP Beni's prestige would be at stake not only in seven Assembly constituencies of his parliamentary area but also in Barabanki with his son Rakesh Verma contesting from Dariyabad seat there.
Barabanki MP, P L Punia's Dalit card and influence in the area would also be under keen observation in six constituencies of his area.
Both Verma, known for his say in Kurmi vote bank and Punia, Dalit face of Congress would have the herculean task of ensuring maximum number of seats for the Congress, which had secured only three of the 55 seats in 2007 Assembly polls.
As far as BJP, which talks of "Ramrajya", is concerned despite Faizabad and Ayodhya falling in this phase, the party's performance has not been upto the mark in past elections.
In 2007, BJP had succeeded in getting victory in four seats only. This time party leaders Rajnath Singh and Kalraj Mishra had taken out yatras, which culminated in Ayodhya with a rally to muster support for the party but it had not generated much enthusiasm among voters especially post Babu Singh Kushwaha episode.
Going by the 2007 record on these seats, BSP had won 30 seats while SP secured 18, BJP four and Congress a meagre three seats only.
As far as ticket distribution is concerned in Congress , Verma had ruled the roost and succeeded in ensuring tickets to his loyalists and also turncoats from Samajwadi Party.
The party is banking on charisma of Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, who had covered various constituencies in Bahraich, Gonda, Barabanki, Sitapur, Basti districts during his visits and held a series of public meetings.
In the first phase while 2,123 polling stations have been identified as sensitive and 3,423 booths as hyper sensitive and to ensure free and fair elections more than two lakh jawans, including of state police and central forces, have been deployed, he said.
Command of the poll process would be in the hand of central forces which would be assisted by state police.
He said that 1,38,186 polling stations and 17,621 booths have been set up where more than 26,700 electronic voting machines were being used.
The CEO said that there would be complete ban on sale of liquor in the assembly segments and adjoining area, till the polling was not over.
While more than 83,000 employees, including reserve staff, have been deployed on election duty, 1364 sector magistrates and 187 zonal magistrates would oversee poll process.
Sinha said that along with 55 general observers, senior officials of other states, 13 election expenditure observers, seven police observers, 55 assistant expenditure observers and 2289 micro observers have been deployed.
He said that to check any irregularity 890 video cameras and 1776 digital cameras have been installed.
"Webcasting would be done from selected 270 polling stations, which would be watched at CEO office, EC and district election office," Sinha said.
