Lucknow/Imphal: Voting for the last phase covering 40 seats in Uttar Pradesh and 22 Assembly constituencies in Manipur began on Wednesday, with all eyes on the Prime Minister’s Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi.
Uttar Pradesh
Over 13 per cent votes were polled in the first three hours of the seventh and last phase of Uttar Pradesh elections today in 40 Assembly seats spread over seven districts.
Polling started amidst tight security arrangements this morning with all eyes on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Lok Sabha constituency Varanasi.
“Over 13 per cent votes were polled till 10 AM. The polling is going on peacefully,” office of UP Chief Electoral Officer said here.
Three Naxal-affected districts of Sonbhadra, Mirzapur and Chandauli, along with the five Assembly segments under Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency, will be in prime focus. Tight security has been put in place in these seven districts. Ghazipur, Jaunpur and Bhadoi are the other districts where polling is going on in this phase.
Counting of votes polled in all the seven phases of the Assembly polls will be taken up on March 11.
Polling will be held between 5 PM in all constituencies, except the Naxal-hit Duddhi, Robertsganj and Chakia seats, where polling will end at 4 PM.
1.41 crore voters, including 64.76 lakh women, are eligible to exercise their franchise in 14,458 polling booths and 8,682 polling centres to decide fate of 585 candidates, including 51 women.
The BJP is contesting 32 seats and its allies – the Apana Dal and the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party – are contesting on 4 seats each. The BSP has fielded its nominees for all seats. While the SP is contesting 31 seats, its ally the Congress is in race for the remaining seats.
In the 2012 state Assembly polls, out of these 40 seats, 23 went to the SP, 5 to the BSP, 4 to the BJP, 3 to the Congress and 5 to others.
In all, 535 candidates, including BSP (40), BJP (32), SP (31), Cong (9), RLD 21, and NCP (5) are in the fray.
While the maximum number of 24 candidates are from Varanasi Cantt seat, the minimum number of 6 candidates are contesting from Kerakat (SC).
Prominent candidates who are in fray include former Cabinet minister Om Prakash, Parasnath Yadav, Ajay Rai, former MP Dhananjay Singh, Sigbatullah Ansari, brother of Mukhtar Ansari, and Seema Singh wife of jailed mafia Munna Bajrangi.
The turnout on these seats in 2012 was 57.92 per cent in 2012 Assembly polls.
Manipur
A voter turnout of 45 per cent was recorded till 11 am in the second and final phase of Manipur Assembly election today.
No untoward incident has been reported in the first three hours of polling, State Nodal Officer (Elections) W Chandrakumar Singh said.
Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, who is contesting from Thoubal seat, cast his vote at a polling booth of Thoubal constituency at 7.15 am.
Ninety-eight candidates, including rights activist Irom Sharmila, are in the fray in this phase. Sharmila, who is pitted against the Chief Minister in Thoubal Assembly seat, had cast her vote at a polling booth of Khurai Assembly constituency in the first phase.
Polling which began at 7 am will end at 3 pm in 22 Assembly constituencies spread over the valley district of Thoubal and the hill districts of Ukhrul, Chandel, Tamenglong and Senapati.
The first phase polling to the 60-member Assembly was held on March 4 last.
PTI