Elections LIVE: All eyes on Amethi as 11 per cent voters exercise franchise in Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow/Kolkata/Patna: Over 11 per cent voters exercised their franchise in the first two hours in Uttar Pradesh, where polling is underway in 15 seats to decide the fate of 243 candidates including Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and BJP National Secretary Varun Gandhi

While Amethi recorded 10 per cent polling in the first two hours, Sultanpur and Pratapgarh recorded 12.6 and 11.76 per cent polling respectively till 9 AM.

Faizabad witnessed 12.2 per cent voters exercising their franchise, Gonda 13.16 per cent, Bahraich 12.4 per cent, Shravasti 8.92 percent, Phoolpur 10.1 per cent, Ambedkarnagar 12 per cent, Basti 14.4 per cent, Sant Kabir Nagar 10.6 per cent, Bhadohi 11.60 per cent, Kaushambi 10.8 per cent, Allahabad 10.34 per cent and Kaisarganj 9.8 per cent.

Over 2.6 crore voters are eligible to cast their vote. While maximum number of 34 candidates are in the fray from Amethi, minimum of 10 candidates are contesting from Bahraich constituency. Of the 25085 polling centres, 3715 has been identified as critical.

(Read: Rahul Gandhi objects to lotus drawing in Amethi polling booth)

"The polling has peacefully started at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm", UP chief electoral officer Umesh Sinha said.

This phase is crucial for Congress as out the15 seats spread over 17 districts, the party won seven in the 2009 polls, while the other seats went to BSP and SP. The BJP is confident of turning the tide in its favour this time despite not winning any seats the last time.

Seats where the polling is going on includes Amethi, Sultanpur, Pratapgarh, Faizabad, Gonda, Bahraich, Shravasti, Phoolpur, Ambedkarnagar, Basti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Bhadohi, Kaushambi, Allahabad and Kaisarganj.

More than 2.6 crore electorate, including 1.37 crore males and 1.19 crore females, are expected to exercise their franchise in this phase. While maximum number of 34 candidates are in fray from Amethi, minimum of 10 candidates are contesting from Bahraich constituency.

Besides the grandsons of the former prime minister Indira Gandhi, Rahul and Varun, contesting from adjacent Amethi and Sultanpur seats, this phase would also decide the fate of a number of stalwarts, including Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma (Gonda) and cricketer-turned-politician Mohd Kaif (Phulpur).

Congress state president Nirmal Khatri (Faizabad), poet-turned-politician Kumar Vishwas, and the "bahu" of tinsel town and BJP Rajya Sabha member Smriti Irani, are also in the fray.

In Amethi, while Vishwas is banking on the power of "aam aadmi", Irani is trying to cash in on Modi wave and by highlighting "lack of development" in Rahul's ten years as a MP.

As Congress star campaigner Priyanka Gandhi campaigned extensively for her brother Rahul by holding meetings and roadshows, the Congress Vice-President himself undertook a whirlwind tour of his constituency and attempted to strike an emotional chord with the electorate.

Meanwhile, Beni Prasad Verma is seeking a second term from Gonda. The Congress leader is said to be facing a stiff resistance from BJP and SP candidates.

Congress' Nirmal Khatri will also face an uphill task to retain the Faizabad seat. BJP's Varun Gandhi has shifted his base from Pilibhit, from where he was elected last time, to Sultanpur, which is adjacent to his cousin Rahul's Amethi constituency.

Congress has pitted Amita Singh, wife of sitting Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, in Sultanpur against Varun.

India's former international cricketer, Mohd Kaif will not find it easy making his Lok Sabha debut from Phulpur constituency.

In 2009 Loksabha polls there was 43.37 per cent polling while in 2012 assembly polls the percentage was 67.33.

Simultaneously, amidst tight security, voting began for the election to six Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal, four of which are located in the former Maoist hotbed of Jangalmahal. Central forces have been deployed in all the six seats of Jhargram, Binpur, Bandwan, Balarampur, Jaypur and Baghmundi and helicopters, bomb detection and disposal squad and anti-landmine devices have been lined up to maintain security.

Area domination, route marches and flag marches have also been undertaken in the entire region. The Left Front is under pressure to retain the six seats, Bankura, Jhargram, Purulia, Medinipur, Bishnupur and Asansol, it had won in the 2009 Lok Sabha election, though with a reduced margin.

Of the six, the CPI(M) had won four and Forward Bloc and CPI shared one seat each in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. An electorate of 8877071 comprising 4608838 men and 4268191 women voters and 42 from the other gender will decide the fate of 72 candidates. One of the most watched constituencies in this phase is Bankura where Basudeb Acharia is pitted against former actress Moonmoon Sen of Trinamool Congress.

The BJP is likely to be a crucial factor in at least two seats - Asansol and Bankura, and has generated a lot of interest among the electorate. Polling time has been reduced by two hours in the assembly segments of Jhargram, Binpur and Bandwan under Jhargram Parliamentary constituency, and Balarampur, Baghmundi and Jaypur under Purulia Parliamentary constituency.

Voting is also underway in the crucial Bihar Lok Sabha election in seven constituencies to decide the fate of 118 candidates, including LJP president Ramvilas Paswan and Rabri Devi, former state Chief Minister Lalu Prasad's wife.

Paswan and Rabri are contesting from Hajipur (SC) and Saran, both situated in the Gangetic plains of Bihar. The other five seats are Sheohar, Sitamarhi, Muzaffarpur, Maharajganj and Ujiyarpur.

Polling would also be held in Chiraiya and Maharajganj assembly constituencies in this phase also.

Five of the seven LS seats going to the poll had been won by JD(U) in 2009 while Saran and Maharajganj had gone to RJD.

Over 1.08 crore voters are expected to cast their votes in 9,804 polling stations amidst elaborate security arrangement. The Indo-Nepal border has been sealed for the purpose. Two helicopters will carry out air surveillance while 66,211 jawans will man the polling stations.

A total 145 companies of the central para-military forces are also lined up for poll duty besides seven units of the mounted police, 36 motor boats, motorized boats and 375 motorcycles for patrolling in riverine areas.