JOIN US60% turnout in final phase of UP polls
A little over 60% voters exercised their franchise in the seventh and final phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday.
An official source here said that the polling percentage was 60.03 at 5 pm, and it could go up.
In the last Assembly polls in 2012, the polling percentage was 57.9.
Varanasi, the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, recorded a 63% turnout, while Maoist-infested Sonebhadra district witnessed 62.5% polling.
Around 61% polling was recorded in Jaunpur, while Ghazipur witnessed a turnout of 59%, the source added.
Sources said that polling was peaceful and no untoward incident was reported.
Wednesday’s polling will decide the fate of 535 candidates for 40 seats in the Poorvanchal (eastern) region of the state.
The BJP, which won only four seats in the region in 2012, is hoping to improve its tally this time.
The SP, which had bagged 23 seats in the region the last time, also undertook hectic campaigning with its alliance partner — the Congress.
Prominent candidates in this phase include Uttar Pradesh ministers Paras Nath Yadav, Lalai Yadav, Jagadish Sonker, Congress leader Ajai Rai and mafia don-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari’s brother Sigbatullah Ansari.
The districts where polling was held on Wednesday are Varanasi, Ghazipur, Bhadohi, Mirzapur, Sonebhadra, Chandauli and Jaunpur.