Voter turnout crossed 50 per cent, as of 5 pm on Tuesday, in the ongoing by-elections to seven assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh where 88 candidates are contesting.
Polling began on Tuesday morning amidst Covid-19 protocol and tight security and grew in momentum later during the day. The turnout increased from 18.49 per cent at 11 am to over 30 per cent till 1 pm, the Election Commission said.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath urged people to cast votes. "Voting in the bypolls to seven assembly seats in UP has begun. All the voters must participate in the mega festival of democracy. Everyone should exercise caution and discharge the duty of casting vote," he said in a tweet in Hindi.
Advertisement
The electoral fortune of 88 candidates, including nine women, will be decided by 24.34 lakh voters, including 13.03 lakh male voters, in these bypolls.
This is the first democratic exercise being held in the state post the coronavirus pandemic. The voters will exercise their franchise at 3,655 polling booths spread over 1,754 polling centres.
The seats where the bypolls are being held are Tundla, Ghatampur, Naugaon Sadat, Bulandshahr, Bangarmau, Deoria and Malhani.
Six of these seats were held by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and one by the Samajwadi Party (SP).
"All preparations to ensure free, fair and peaceful polling, keeping in mind the coronavirus pandemic, have been made. Voters will have to adhere to the Covid-19 protocol and maintain a safe distance among themselves while casting votes," Chief Electoral Officer Ajay Kumar Shukla said.
Advertisement
Adequate security forces have been deployed to maintain peace and ensure orderly polling at the booths, including 371 "critical" ones.
The counting of votes will be taken up on November 10.
