Lucknow: Rains played havoc in the early hours of polling in Uttar Pradesh as only 13.38 per cent of the over 17 million electorate exercised their franchise.
Speaking to Gulf News, Chief Electoral Officer Umesh Sinha said: "In the first four hours, 13.38 per cent polling was registered in 55 Assembly seats spread over 10 districts. In Basni Assembly seat in the district of Siddharth Nagar, not a single vote was cast in the first two hours of polling due to torrential rains."
But fortunately the weather improved and polling gradually picked up as the day progressed. Sitapur, where people boycotted polling in Gularia village in Misrikh assembly seat to protest lack of development, registered 16 per cent polling in the first two hours.
There was slight improvement in Faizabad where 14 per cent of the electorate cast their votes till 11 am as compared to 3.5 per cent in the first two hours.
Maximum 20 per cent polling till 11 am was recorded in Gonda district. The lowest poll percentage of 8 per cent was recorded in Basti district followed by 11 per cent in neighbouring Siddharth Nagar district.
