Peaceful polling in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow: The second phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections on Wednesday recorded a 66 per cent turnout and was largely peaceful. Saharanpur recorded maximum polling at 72 per cent while Badaun recorded a lowest percentage of 62.

Chief electoral officer T. Venkatesh told reporters in Lucknow that polling was held in 67 Assembly seats spread across 11 districts in the Rohilkhand region of Uttar Pradesh. The number of candidates on 67 Assembly seats were 720, including 82 women and one transgender.

In some constituencies voters boycotted polling to protest lack of development. In Rath and Raipur in Shahjahanpur and in Nathaur Assembly seat in Bijnore, voters boycotted polling but local officials managed to persuade them to cast their votes. Meanwhile, Uttar-akhand posted a record as voting in the Assembly elections to two states remained peaceful.

Over 68 per cent votes were cast in Uttarakhand, two per cent more than the last assembly polls, in 69 out of the state’s 70 seats. Election Office sources said over 68 per cent of the electorate cast their votes by 5 pm. An EC spokesman said in New Delhi it could go up to 70 per cent at the final count.