UP polls india
Voters show their voter ID cards while standing in queues to cast votes during the second phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, at a polling booth, in Moradabad on Monday, Feb 14, 2022. Image Credit: ANI

New Delhi: Voting for legislative assemblies in three Indian states - Uttarakhand, Goa and Uttar Pradesh - took place on Monday, with Goa recording heavy voter turnout.

The voting was completed in a single phase in Uttarakhand and Goa. However, Uttar Pradesh was only voting in the second phase of the seven-phase staggered elections.

Authorities made all necessary facilities and security arrangements to ensure free and fair polling in the states. “Reports pouring in from all the poll-bound states say voting is going on peacefully,” an election official said.

The election commission focused on COVID-safe elections in view of the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic and new cases of the Omicron variant across the country.

The counting will take place on March 10.

Uttar Pradesh recorded a voter turnout of 60.44 per cent till 5pm on Monday in the second phase of the ongoing Assembly elections. According to the Election Commission of India, Saharanpur witnessed the highest voter turnout of 67.05 per cent followed by Amroha (66.15 per cent) and Moradabad (64.52 per cent) till 5 pm.

Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand reported 59.37 per cent voter turnout till 5 pm as elections for the 70-member state Assembly was held on Monday.

According to Election Commission, Haridwar reported the highest percentage of voter turnout with 67.58 per cent followed by Uttarkashi (65.55 per cent) and Udham Singh Nagar (65.13 per cent) till 5 pm.

Uttarakhand polls
A volunteer conducts thermal screening of the voters, at a polling booth, during the Uttarakhand Assembly Election, at 20 Rajpur Road, in Dehradun on Monday, Feb 14, 2022. Image Credit: ANI

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is seeking to retain power in the hilly state while Congress is hoping for a comeback. Both the Congress and the BJP have battled political instability in the state in the last two decades after it was carved out of Uttar Pradesh in 2000 during former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s tenure.

The BJP’s task is two-fold-- beat the anti-incumbency and also the electoral trend of the incumbent government voted out in the state. Uttarakhand, incidentally, has seen 11 Chief Ministers in the last two decades.

The BJP has fielded 11 cabinet Ministers and the state unit president Madan Kaushik. Incumbent Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is contesting for the third time from the Khatima Assembly seat and is facing Congress nominee Bhuwan Chandra Kapri.

Goa

goa polls
Voters stand in the queue to cast their votes at a polling booth, during the Goa Assembly Election, at Junta House, in Panaji on Monday, Feb 14, 2022. Image Credit: ANI

Goa recorded 75.29 per cent voter turnout till 5pm as the single-phase polling for all the 40 assembly constituencies in the state took place on Monday.

According to the Election Commission, Sanquelim from where Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is contesting Goa Assembly polls witnessed the highest percentage of voters’ turnout of 88.07 per cent followed by Sanguem with 84.61 per cent voter turnout.

A total of 301 candidates from different political parties are in the electoral fray in Goa.

The incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is challenged by Congress, Trinamool Congress, and Aam Admi Party (AAP) in a multi-cornered electoral contest in Goa.