Poll process for seventh phase begins with notification

Lucknow, Apr 13 (UNI) The poll process for the seventh and last phase of UP Assembly elections started today with the issuance of notification for 59 seats spread over nine eastern districts of the state where polling will be held on May 8.

State Governor T V Rajeswar issued the notification for the final phase this morning. The nominations will continue till April 20, while scrutiny would be done the next day. Candidates can withdraw their nomination papers till April 23.

Prominent candidates whose fate will be decided in the last phase of the assembly elections are -- Harishanker Tiwari, Ambika Choudhury, mafia don Mukhtar Ansari and Congress leader Akhilesh Pratap Singh.

However, court had not allowed Amarmani Tripathi, accused in the Madhumita Shukla murder case, to file his nomination while the EC is yet to decide on the inclusion of the name of dreaded don Abu Salem in the voters' list. Salem had shown interest in contesting the polls from the Azamgarh seat.

Meanwhile, Amarmani Tripathi has moved the Supreme Court to allow him to file his nominations for the UP polls.

Over 1.78 crore voters, including 96.3 lakh males and 81.8 lakh females would be able to exercise their franchise in 16804 polling stations spread out in nine districts. Altogether, 19400 Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs ) will be used for polling in the phase.

The seventh phase of polling will witness a tough battle of ballots in several contituencies as it has a large number of candidates with criminal background.

In 2002 Assembly polls, the ruling Samajwadi Party had won 21 seats, the BJP 10, the BSP 17, the Congress 4, Independents 3, while one each was won by Loktrantrik Congress, Hindu Mahasabha, Samajwadi Janata Party and National Loktantrik Party of the 52 seats at stake in the seventh phase.

The Commission has appointed one Central observer for each constituency, besides additional observers at the ''sensitive'' constituencies.

A Phase Coordinator has also been appointed by the EC who will monitor the deployment of the Central forces and hear the complaints of the political parties.

Counting of votes of all the seven phases would be taken up on May 11 and the entire election process would be completed by May 13.

The tenure of the present assembly expires May 14.

The nine districts going to poll in the seventh phase are -- Faizabad, Ambedkarnagar, Gorakhpur, Maharajganj, Kushingar, Deoria, Mau, Azamgarh and Ballia.

The constituencies are -- Katehari, Bhatpar Rani, Akbarpur, Salempur, alalpur, Barhaj, Jahangirganj (SC), Natthupur, Tanda, Ghosi, Ayodhya, Sagri, Bikapur, Gopalpur, Milkipur, Azamgarh, Sohawal(SC), Nizamabad, Bansgaon (SC), Atraulia, Dhuriapar, Phulpur, Chillupar, Saraimir(SC), Kauriram, Mehnagar (SC), Mundera Bazar (SC), Lalganj, Pipraich, Mubarakpur, Gorakhpur, Mohammadabad, Gohna (SC), Maniram, Mau, Sahjanwa, Rasra (SC), Paniara, Siar, Pharenda, Chilkahar, Laxmipur, Sikandarpur, Siswa, Bansdih, Maharajganj (SC), Daoba, Shyamdeurwa, Ballia, Naurangia(SC), Kopachit, Ramkola, Hata(SC), Padrauna, Seorahi, Fazilnagar, Kasia, Gauri Bazar, Rudrapur and Deoria.

UNI