Low turnout in UP amid minor clashes: 25% voting till 1400 hrs

Lucknow, Apr 7 (UNI) An estimated 25 per cent of the 1.67 crore electorate exercised their franchise till 1400 hours today during the first phase of polling in 62 assembly constituencies spread over 13 districts in Uttar Pradesh, marked by a low voter turnout and minor clashes at several places.

EC sources said here that if the trend continued, the voting percentage till 1700 hrs was likely to come at 45 per cent. In the last Assembly elections in 2002, the voting percentage was 53 per cent.

Reports of minor clashes have been received from several places, but polling was underway on a peaceful note, claimed senior officials of the state police headquarters, here.

However, the low voter turnout was a matter of concern for the Election Commission and the political parties.

Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav blamed the EC for the low turnout claiming strictness of the commission was the main reason for the voters to stay away from booths.

The central forces stopped the convoy of state PWD minister and SP candidate from Jaswantnagar Shivpal Singh Yadav at Akbarpur in his constituency.

The Minister and his supporters were later permitted to go ahead.

Talking to mediapersons, Mr Yadav said he was going to the area following complaints that voters were being denied their right to franchise.

Reports of minor clashes have been received from Kanpur and Agra, while in some booths polling was delayed due to snags in Electronic Voting Machines(EVMs).

In Kanpur, several people were allegedly not allowed to vote despite possessing Election Photo Identity Cards(EPICs) as their names were not in the electoral rolls.

Similar incidents were reported from Mainpuri, Jhansi, Auriya, Etah and Agra.

A minor clash was reported from Kanpur Cantonment seat where women supporters of BJP and Congress clashed over electoral rolls, while in Miapur in Babina assembly seat of Jhansi district, a clash took place over snatching of EPICs. A clash over voters' list was also reported from Kalsi assembly seat in Jalaun district.

At least five people have been arrested so far in Kanpur and Agra for trying to disrupt the polling process. While five youths were detained in Sarsaul assembly seat in Kanpur, two were arrested at Mantola in Agra (City) assembly constituency.

Another report from Etawah said violating EC norms, state police was seen inside the polling booth, while central forces were manning the gates outside.

Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav cast his vote at a polling booth in Etawah along with his sibling and minister Shivpal Singh, and son Akhilesh Yadav, who is an MP from Kannauj.

EC sources said they have received reports of faulty EVMs in some places but those were rectified within an hour.

UNI