63pc turnout in UP 1st phase poll
KEY CONTEST: Elections in the most populous state elections are seen as key test for Modi
NEW DELHI/LUCKNOW: The first phase of the Uttar Pradesh elections passed off “peacefully” on Saturday with over 63 per cent polling recorded till 5 pm. The percentage is expected to go up, the Election Commission said.
This election is seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s controversial ban on high-value banknotes, a move aimed at combating tax evasion by the rich that has hit poor rural communities hard.
“Participation (of voters) has been exemplary. Sixty three per cent voters have cast their vote till 5 pm and the number would go up as there were queues in front of the polling centres,” Deputy Election Commissioner Vijay Dev told reporters here.
Voting was continuing at some polling stations since voters who had queued up by 5 pm were allowed to exercise their franchise.
He said the elections spread across 15 districts, 73 assembly constituencies, involved over 2.6 crore voters, 839 candidates, including 73 women candidates.
He said there was no major law and order problem, and EVMs which malfunctioned at few polling booths, were replaced within no time.
“Elaborate security arrangements were made to ensure free and fair elections,” he said, adding that over two lakh security personnel were deployed at various locations across the 15 districts.
Dev said that nearly three lakh “troublemakers” were bound down.
He said 3,888 cameras were also placed at various locations to keep watch on every activity in poll bound areas
The Deputy Election Commissioner also said that Rs 19.56 lakh in cash, 4.4 lakh litre of alcohol worth Rs 4.4 lakh and gold and silver worth Rs 14 crore was seized before the elections.
Asked about the call for election boycott at a few places, Dev said that things were sorted out at six out of seven places where poll boycott call was given by the public dissatisfied for various reasons.
He, however, expressed satisfaction on the overall exercise of polling and thanked and congratulated all political parties and general public for their “cooperation”.
“The first phase (of elections) has set the tone for the next six phases,” he said
The largest constituency in this phase, as per population, is Sahibabad in Ghaziabad and the smallest is Jalesar in Etah.
There were 26,822 polling centres in this phase of polling. Among the candidates in the fray was Pankaj Singh, the son of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.