Phase 4: 59% polling in UP, Lucknow turnout lowest

Among the assembly constituencies, Mohammadi in Lakhimpur Kheri district recorded the highest voter turnout at 67%

LUCKNOW: Average voter turnout of about 59% was recorded in the nine districts comprising 59 assembly constituencies in the fourth phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly election on Wednesday.

Lucknow recoded the lowest turnout (55.92%) and Unnao (57.73%) the second lowest as per the data available with the election commission (EC). In each the first three phases on February 10, 14 and 20, over 60% voter turnout was recorded in Uttar Pradesh.

The average voter turnout in these nine districts, which went to polls on Wednesday, was 62.55% in 2017 and 57.52% in the 2012 UP assembly elections.

Earlier, UP’s chief electoral officer Ajay Kumar Shukla said only 57.45% of the total 2.13 crore (21.3 million) voters in the fourth phase exercised their franchise till 5pm.

“The voting started at 7am and lasted till 6pm. As per the reports received from the districts concerned, 58.94% voters exercised their franchise on Wednesday,” he said later.

He also said 73.67% voter turnout was recorded on the booth number 266 (Primary School Jaswantpur) under Karhal assembly constituency in Mainpuri district till 5pm. The commission ordered re-poll on this booth flowing a complaint by Union minister SP Singh Baghel, who is the BJP candidate against Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.

In the fourth phase that was the half-way mark of the UP assembly polls, the electoral fate of 624 candidates was sealed in EVMs.

Shukla claimed the voting in all the nine districts was held peacefully and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere.

As per the data that the commission was revising intermittently till late evening, Lakhim

pur Kheri district recorded the highest turnout at 64.71% followed by 61.42% in Pilibhit and 60.22% in Rae Barelli. With only 55.92% polling, Lucknow recorded the lowest turnout. It was followed by Unnao that recoded 57.73% polling.

Among the assembly constituencies, Mohammadi in Lakhimpur Kheri recorded the highest voter turnout at 67% followed by Lucknow’s Malihabad that recorded 66.10% polling. Puranpur (in Pilibhit) witnessed 64% turnout that was the third highest.

Within Lucknow district that has nine assembly seats, Malihabad registered the highest turnout at 66.10%. It was the only constituency in the district to touch 60% mark. Bakshi Ka Talab reported the second highest at 57.25%. Lucknow East reported the lowest turnout at only 53.44% followed by Sarojni Nagar (53.56%) and Lucknow Cantt (53.57%). Lucknow’s overall average turnout was 55.92%

Shukla said that postal ballots were issued to a total 60,585 eligible voters (above 80 years, disabled and personnel engaged in essential services and poll duty) and of them 52,512 voters cast their vote using postal ballots under observers’ vigil.

WITHIN LUCKNOW DISTRICT THAT HAS NINE ASSEMBLY SEATS, MALIHABAD REGISTERED THE HIGHEST TURNOUT AT 66.10%