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UP Elections 2017: 63 per cent voting recorded in Phase 1; 13 cases of paid news identified, says EC

The fate of 839 candidates in fray for 73 constituencies of western UP was sealed in ballots as the voting ended at 5PM on Saturday. The Overall voting percentage till 4PM was 54%. Final figures are awaited.

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Hina Khan
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The fate of 839 candidates in fray for 73 constituencies of western UP was sealed in ballots as the voting ended at 5PM on Saturday. The Overall voting percentage till 4PM was 54%. Final figures are awaited. 

Polling began for the first phase of politically crucial Uttar Pradesh at 7 am on Saturday morning. In this phase, BJP, SP and BSP are fighting to stake claim at the 73 constituencies of the western UP.

Nearly 2.6 crore people in the poll-bound region are eligible to vote in the first of the seven phases of high-stake Assembly elections, seen as a litmus test for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s nearly three-year rule.

839 candidates, including from main contenders BJP, BSP, allies Congress and Samajwadi party, RLD as well independents, are in the fray from the seats in 15 districts where 26,823 polling stations have been set up.

Among the electorate are 1.17 crore women and 1,508 belonging to third gender category. The largest constituency in terms of electorate is Sahibabad, while Jalesar is the smallest.

The maximum number of 26 candidates are in fray from Agra South, while the least number of aspirants are in Hastinapur which has six candidates.

ALSO READ | UP Elections 2017 | PM Modi will get a jolt once poll results are out, says Rahul Gandhi at 10 common point release in Lucknow

The excise department has set up check posts at inter-state borders as well as along the border with Nepal to check distribution of liquor to voters during elections.

LIVE COVERAGE

#6:40PM: EC press conference begins

- 19.56 cr cash, 4.44 lakh litre liquor worth 14 cr, drug worth 96.93 lakh, gold & silver of 14 crores were seized in first phase: ECI

- 2,96,906 troublemakers were identified & preventive actions were taken against them in first phase of UP elections: ECI

- 3888 digital & video cameras were used, webcasting was done in 2857 places for first phase of UP elections: Election Commission

- 13 cases of paid news identified in Phase 1 elections, 10 found correct and acted upon

- Total 63% voting recorded in Phase 1

- 1,24,526 poll booth volunteers managed the Phase 1 elections

#5:00PM: Voting ends for Phase 1 of UP assembly elections 2017 

#4:05PM: Overall poll percentage  till 3PM is 52.9%

#4:00PM: Poll percentage till 3PM: Agra 51; Aligarh 52; Mathura 55; Meerut 56; Muzaffarnagar 53 and Shamli 55. Details of other areas awaited. 

#2:00 PM: Brisk voting in western UP as 45 per cent cast ballot till 2PM

#12: 00 PM: 25.71 per cent voting in Ghaziabad, 26 per cent in Baghpat and 29 per cent voting were recorded in Shamli

#11:25 AM: 29% voting in Shamli till 11 am

#11:20 AM: Union Minister Sanjeev Balyan cast his vote in Muzaffarnagar 

#10:18 AM: Police detain Gagan Som, brother of BJP candidate Sangeet Som for carrying a pistol inside poll booth in Meerut

#Polling begins for phase-I of UP Assembly elections with voters queueing up to cast their ballots in 73 constituencies

#10: 00 AM: 10.56% voting in first phase of Uttar Pradesh elections till 9 am 

#9:40 AM: 15% voting in Muzaffarnagar till 9 am

#9:30 AM: 10.5% voting in Aligarh and 12% in Bulandshahr till 9 am

 

#9:20 AM: BJP MLA and Sardhana candidate Sangeet Som after casting his vote in Meerut

#9:00 AM: BJP MLA and Sardhana candidate Sangeet Som casts his vote in Meerut

#8:38 AM: Ghaziabad's Sahibabad is the largest constituency in terms of electorate

#8:12 AM:Etah's Jalesar is the smallest constituency in terms of electorate

#8:00 AM:BJP Mathura candidate Shrikant Sharma casts his vote

#7:42 AM

 

#7:30 AM: Polling delayed in booth no.42 in Mathura's Govardhan, and in booth nos 119 and 120 in Baghpat as EVMs are not working

 

#7:20 AM: People arrive for voting in Dadri's Bishada

#7:15 AM: Polling underway in Noida Sector 15A

#7:04 AM: Polling underway in Bishada of Dadri, people cast their votes

#7: 02 AM: People queue up outside a polling station in Govardhan of Mathura. Voting to begin shortly

ALSO READ | PM Modi rally in Badaun: For political gains, UP government played with aspirations of youth in state

#7AM: Voting begins in 73 constituencies for Phase 1 of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections

Important details about Uttar Pradesh Elections

# Total Assembly Constituencies: 73

# Date of Polling: February 11 (Phase 1 out of 7 phases)

# Total Electorate: 2.6 crore (including 1.17 crore women; 1,508 third gender)

# Number of Polling Stations: 26,823

# Major Parties & Alliance

- SP (Samajwadi Party) + Indian National Congress

- Bhartiya Janta Party

- Bahujan Samaj Party

- RLD (Rashtriya Lok Dal)

# 2012 Assembly Election Results:

- SP:   24 Seats

- BSP: 24 Seats

- BJP: 11 Seats

- Congress: 5 Seats

- RLD: 9 Seats

- Others: 0 Seat

# 2014 Lok Sabha Election Result

- BJP: 68 Seats

- SP: 5 Seats

- Others: 0 Seat

Security arrangements to ensure peaceful polling

Elaborate security arrangements have been made in all districts. District Election Officer DK Singh said out of 887 polling centres in riot-scarred Muzaffarnagar, around 600 are critical where video cameras will be installed to maintain the strict vigil.

Around 6,000 paramilitary personnel are being deployed in all the 887 polling centres in Muzaffarnagar and neighbouring Shamli to instill a sense of fearlessness among voters, especially with focus on the areas which had witnessed communal riots in 2013.

Four-cornered fight for 73 seats

Western UP is witnessing a four-cornered contest between Samajwadi Party, in alliance with Congress, Modi-led BJP, Mayawati’s BSP and Ajit Singh-led RLD.

BJP, which increased its voter base considerably in Lok Sabh elections in 2014 by winning 68 parliamentary seats from the region, is hopeful to make a clean sweep in the region.

But polls results from previous assembly elections, which gave 24 seats to both BSP and winner SP, keeps giving confidence to the two frontrunners.

Ajit Singh’s RLD, which managed 9 seats in last assembly elections, is likely to struggle to retain the seats in the high-stake elections.

Spearheading the BJP campaign, Modi had highlighted demonetisation as an “anti-graft” and “pro-poor” measure and promised to push his development agenda in the state.

ALSO READ | UP Elections 2017 | Meerut: Sangeet Som's brother Gagan Som detained by police for carrying pistol inside poll booth

Young guns Akhilesh Yadav and Rahul Gandhi, who have added a new dimension to the contest with the Samajwadi Party-Congress alliance, have claimed that BJP will face the wrath of the common man who “suffered” due to the note ban.

The first phase of voting in the Muslim-dominated region could throw light on the presence of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) led by Asaduddin Owaisi.

The Muslim-dominated areas in the belt will be an acid test for BSP chief Mayawati, who is banking heavily on Dalit and Muslim votes. The region was once BSP’s favourite hunting ground.

(With inputs from PTI)

ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS 2017: FULL COVERAGE

UTTAR PRADESH ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS 2017: FULL COVERAGE

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BJP congress SP BSP RLD UP elections Assembly elections 2017