Over 61% votes cast in UP panchayat elections
LUCKNOW: Over 60 per cent votes were cast in the first round of the four-phased Uttar Pradesh panchayat elections on Thursday till 5 pm, with an hour of polling still remaining, the State Election Commission said.
Four people suffered minor injuries in a clash between two groups at a booth in Agra, but the polling was largely peaceful in the state, officials said.
"Till 5 pm, 61 per cent votes were cast. While the maximum 69.75 per cent votes were cast in Jhansi, Shravasti witnessed 53 per cent polling. All those who come to vote till 6 pm will be allowed to vote," the State Election Commission (SEC) said here.
More than 3.33 lakh candidates are in the fray in over 2.21 lakh seats in the first phase of the polls for the posts of zila panchayat (district council) members, kshetra (block) panchayat members, village panchayat heads and wards.
The polling, which was done with ballot papers, was held in the districts of Ayodhya, Agra, Kanpur, Ghaziabad, Gorakhpur, Jaunpur, Jhansi, Allahabad, Bareilly, Bhadohi, Mahoba, Rampur, Raebareli, Shravasti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Saharanpur, Hardoi and Hathras.
Meanwhile, four people were injured and two ballot boxes were snatched in the clash between two groups in Rihawali village of Agra Rural constituency, SP (East) Ashok
Venkat said.
He said the clash broke out between supporters of candidates fighting for the gram pradhan post following which the two ballot boxes were snatched away.
SSP (Agra) Muniraj told reporters that eight people have been arrested so far and further probe is on.
District Magistrate Prabhu Narayan Singh said he would request for repolling at the affected booth.