UP polls: 15pc voters turnout till 1030 hrs

Lucknow, Apr 7: About 15 per cent of the 1.67 crore electorate have exercised their franchise till 1030 hours during the first phase of polling in 62 assembly constituency spread in 13 district in Uttar Pradesh.

Officials said 9.33 per cent polling took place till 0900 hrs.

Reports of minor clashes has also been reported 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 deleted from 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 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.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party supremo 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 also 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