Over 46% turnout in ph II of UP polls

Lucknow, Apr 13 (UNI) Over 46 per cent of the voters today exercised their franchise in the second phase of elections to 58 constituencies, spread over 10 districts of western Uttar Pradesh, amid reports of minor clashes and poll boycott.

State Chief Electoral Officer Anuj Kumar Bishnoi said here that polling was by and large peaceful and over 46 per cent of the voters exercised their franchise.

He said an FIR against two people had been filed in Meerut for carrying 91 Election Photo Identity Cards(EPICs).

Six cases of faulty EVMs were detected and 49 other complaints were lodged with the EC in connection with today's polling, he said.

During the 2002 assembly polls, about 52.93 per cent voting was recorded in these constituencies.

Nakul assembly constituency in Saharanpur district recorded the highest 61 per cent polling while Ghazaiabad seat was the lowest with 33.7 per cent.

According to a report from Muzaffarnagar, a minor clash broke out between supporters of the Bharatiya Kisan Dal and Bahujan Samaj Party in Khatauli Assembly seat from where Rakesh Tikait, son of Mahendra Singh Tikait, is the BKD candidate.

A clash was also reported from Sisauli area where four people sustained minor injuries. After the incident, Mahendra Singh Tikait was put under house arrest.

Later, the senior Tikait could not vote at Sisauli as his name was missing from the voters' list.

During first phase of elections in 62 assembly seats on April 7, the voter turnout was 46.29 per cent with not a single report of violence.

(Eds: Pick up sutiably from earlier takes) UNI