World | India
Good turnout seen in Uttar Pradesh elections
Voters started turning up in large numbers as the day progressed
- By Ajay Jha, Chief Correspondent
- Published: 14:46 February 11, 2012
New Delhi: Large voters turn out marked the polling for 59 seats in the second phase of state legislative assembly elections on Saturday.
According to Election Commission, 40 per cent of 1809 million voters had cast their votes by 3pm, giving it hope that the state will easily witness more than 46.7 per cent voting recorded five years ago.
Unlike the first phase of polling for 55 seats on Wednesday, when a record 62 per cent voters used their right to franchise despite heavy rains, the polling started under sunny though chilly conditions in nine districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh bordering Bihar.
While voters' initial response was lukewarm, they started turning up in large numbers as the day progressed.
Uttar Pradesh is slated to go to polls in seven phases with polling for the last phase scheduled for March 3.
The fate of 1,099 candidates, including 31 sitting members of the outgoing assembly and 24 former ministers are at stake in the second phase of polling, besides a large number of candidates with criminal backgrounds. All four major political parties have fielded tainted candidates.
Like the first phase, the polling thus far was peaceful with no untoward incident reported.
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