Over 43 pc polling in UP bypolls till noon

Lucknow: Around 43.5 per cent votes were polled in the by-elections to 11 Assembly seats and one Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh till 3.00 pm on Saturday amid elaborate security arrangements.
Around 46.20 per cent votes were polled in Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat where Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and his MP wife Dimple Yadav also cast their votes this morning, while 43.26 per cent votes were polled in 11 assembly seats.
Among the assembly constituencies, Thakurdwara in Moradabad and Nighasan in Lakhimpur witnessed brisk polling with 54 per cent turn out in the first eight hours, but it was tardy in Noida where only 24 per cent votes were polled. Security personnel, including those of the central forces, have been deployed in constituencies along with micro-observers to ensure free and fair elections, according to the election office.
Video recording and photography would be conducted at all the polling centres. The Assembly seats where bypolls are being held include Saharanpur city, Bijnor, Thakurdwara, Noida, Nighasan Lucknow east, Hamirpur, Charkhari, Sirathu, Balha and Rohania. By-elections are also being held in Mainpuri Lok Sabha seat, which was vacated by SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav. Eleven Vidhan Sabha seats fell vacant after 10 BJP MLAs and one of its ally, Apna Dal, were elected to the Lok Sabha.
Arrangement of web casting has been made at 176 sensitive polling stations. While BSP is not contesting the bypoll, Congress and SP have fielded candidates on all 11 assembly seats, whereas BJP is contesting on 10 and its ally Apna Dal on one. In Mainpuri, BSP and Congress have not fielded their candidates. Here the contest is between Mulayam’s relative Tej Pratap Singh and BJP’s Shiv Singh Shakya. (PTI)