Uttar Pradesh: Over 55 per cent voting recorded till 5 PM

, April 24: Over 55.40 per cent

exercised their franchise till 5 PM in

, where

is going on in 12 seats in the third phase to decide fate of 188 candidates.

Hathras witnessed 55.4 per cent polling in the first four hours while Mathura and Agra recorded 53 and 60.2 per cent polling respectively.

Fatehpur Sikri recorded 56.84 per cent polling, Firozabad 56.16 per cent, Mainpuri 59.8 per cent, Etah 53.6 per cent, Hardoi 53.8 per cent, Farukhabad 56 per cent, Etawah 52.03 per cent, Kannauj and Akbarpur had 56.86 and 52.72 per cent respectively.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, senior cabinet minister Shivpal Singh Yadav exercised their vote along with their family members in Etawah.

Union Minister Salman Khurshid exercised his franchise at a polling centre at a Pitaura in Farukkhabad. Meanwhile, in-charge of Merapur police station Ram Sajeevan Yadav has been suspended with immediate effect on allegation of partiality during the polling.

A complaint was received from former minister Narendra Singh Yadav father of rebel Samajwadi Party candidate Sachin Yadav's and the electoral observer report was sought, SP Alankrita Singh said.

She said that after receiving the report from the observer, Ram Sajeevan was suspended with immediate effect. Earlier Narendra Yadav had a confrontation with Subodh Yadav son of SP candidate Rameshwar Yadav at Samtuia polling centre.

According to a report, voters boycotted polling in Totalpur, Adampur, Shyamnagar and Agnipur villages in Firozabad district to protest against lack of development.

Similarly in Auraiya district of Etawah Lok Sabha electorate of Shala and Ratnipur villages boycotted election, but it resumed later on the assurance of the officials.

In Etawah Lok Sabha area electorates boycotted polling in two villages.

Over 2500 voters boycotted polling in Lavedi area demanding arrest of persons involved in rape and murder of a girl, whereas in Thadburkhara village 609 voters boycotted polling to protect against lack of development works.

PTI