45 pc polling in phase VII polls; 2 CRPF men held

Lucknow, May 8: An estimated 45 per cent of the electorate exercised its franchise today during polling for the seventh and last phase of Uttar Pradesh assembly election in 59 constituencies which passed off peacefully under an unprecedented security cover.

The overall poll percentage for all the seven phases of polling to elect the 15th assembly was around 46 per cent.

Counting of votes will be taken up on May 11 from 0700 hrs and the new assembly is expected to be constituted before May 13 when the term of the present assembly expires.

State Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Anuj Kumar Bishnoi said here the polling was peaceful and over 45 per cent of the 1.78 crore voters exercised their franchise in the last phase.

In 2002 assembly polls, the turnout in these seats was 53.73 per cent and in 2004 Lok Sabha polls it was 48.89 per cent.

He said two CRPF personnel were arrested while three others have been suspended in Gorakhpur and Maharajganj for allegedly raping a minor.

While CRPF constable Rajkumar was arrested in Gorakhpur and his three colleagues were suspended, in Maharajganj CRPF personnel Jasica, a resident of Asom was arrested for the same crime.

Mr Bishnoi said two people -- Ramshanker and Tilakraj -- were arrested at booth No. 216 of Akbarpur assembly seat in Ambedkarnagar district for using fake ration card as Identity proof for voting.

In Kushinagar, Javed Iqbal, a candidate of National Lok Hind Party in Padrauna assembly constituency was arrested and a FIR lodged against him for campaigning during poll hours.

A Station Officer(SO) of Narhi police station in Copachit assembly seat in Ballia district was removed after he was found asking voters to cast their votes for a particular candidate.

A minor clash was also reported from Barhaj assembly seat in Deoria district where supporters of BJP and BSP clashed over illegal checking of ration cards of the voters by the BSP candidate.

A report from Maharajganj said a CRPF personnel was arrested in Paniyara assembly seat for allegedly trying to molest a girl. The villagers protesting against the incident boycotted the poll.

In Faizabad, about 15,000 voters of Madhepur panchayat of Sohalwal assembly seat boycotted the polls owing to the negligence towards development in the area.

Jalalpur assembly seat recorded maximum turnout of 53 per cent while the lowest was at Basgaon and Dauba with 37 per cent each.

Mr Bishnoi said 35 complaints of faulty Electronic Voting Machines were received during the day while 30 complaints of bogus ration cards and faulty electoral rolls were lodged with the EC.

Prominent candidates, whose fate was today sealed in the EVMs are: Former UP Chief Minister and Congress candidate Ram Naresh Yadav (Phulpur), UP Ministers and SP candidates Ambikar Choudhury (Copachit), Ram Govind Chouhdury (Bansdih), Narad Rai (Balia), Kameshwar Upadhaya, criminal-turned-politician Harishanker Tiwari (Chilupar), Amarmani Tripathi (Laxmipur) and Mukhtar Ansari (Mau), BSP state president and candidate Lalji Verma (Tanda) and rebel SP MP Beni Prasad Verma (Ayodhya).

UNI