52 pc turnout amid vote fraud, violence in UP civic polls

Lucknow: Amid reports of sporadic incidents of violence and protests over absence of names in voters’ list, almost 52 per cent of the total 1.29 crore electorate cast their vote in the second phase of civic body elections in 25 districts of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday.

Stray incidents of violence, too, were reported following arguments over fraudulent voting and names missing from voters’ list. Several people were also arrested on various charges.The poll percentage could further increase as hundreds of voters were still in the queue when the polling ended at 1700 hrs.

Polling was held for 3,601 wards in 189 local bodies in which fate of 24,638 candidates was sealed in EVMs and ballot boxes. While polling for the municipal corporations was held through EVMs, the other elections were done through traditional ballot papers.

SEC official here said around 52 per cent of the voters had exercised their franchise in 25 districts where polling was held in the second phase.

In the first phase polling held on November 22, the voting percentage was 52 per cent in 24 districts.The last phase of polling would be held in 26 districts on November 29 and the counting of votes on December 1. (UNI)