Braving the scorching heat, the people in 10 constituencies of western Uttar Pradesh came out of the dark clouds that had set after the recent riots to set a remarkable trend of high polling percentage in the State’s first phase of Parliamentary election on Thursday.
Over 65 per cent of the 1.69 crore voters reportedly exercised their franchise amidst reports of minor clashes and attack on some candidates and their supporters. The high voter turnout must have surely raised the heartbeats of all political parties.
State Chief Electoral Officer Umesh Sinha said here that the polling passed off by and large peacefully with no untoward incident.Sinha said the polling percentage was over 65 and the final voters turnout would be received late in the night.In many booths, voting continued after 6 pm as voters were still standing in queues.
The riot-hit Muzaffarnagar recorded over 67 per cent polling, Saharanpur 70 per cent, Meerut 65 per cent and Kairana 68 per cent when reports last came in.
Former Commissioner of Mumbai Police and Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Satyapal Singh, who is contesting against Rashtriya lok Dal president and Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh from Baghpat lok Sabha seat, was attacked by some miscreants in Barot area during the polling in Baghpat district. While Satyapal Singh escaped unhurt, three of his security personnel received minor injuries in the attack on their vehicles in Mallakpur village. The BJP candidate’s vehicle was damaged in the attack.
Home Secretary Kamal Saxena said the police were investigating the matter and would register a case if the BJP candidate filed a complaint.Police later detained several RlD activists suspected to be behind the attack.The BJP candidate said the RlD activists had attacked him out of frustration.
Reports of minor clashes also came from Bulandshahr, Saharanpur and Bijnor constituencies in which two people sustained minor injuries.Police reports said that two persons were injured in a clash between two groups near a polling booth in Samaspur village of Bulandshahr.Clashes were also reported from Rindheri area of Saharanpur and at booth number 141 in Bijnor constituency.
A couple of people were injured in a group clash at Mathihadpur village in Saharanpur constituency.Additional police force were rushed to the troubled areas and the situation was under control, sources said. However, polling was not suspended in any places.
A company commander of the Home Guards, Mahesh Chandra Pathak, died of heart attack in Khatauli area of Muzaffarnagar. He was on poll duty.According to sources in the Election Commission, the voting trend till 5 pm indicated that Saharanpur recorded the highest voting of 68.60 per cent followed by Kairana 64.90 per cent, Muzaffarnagar 63.53 per cent, Bijnor 62.96 per cent, Bulandshahr 61.60 per cent, Baghpat 60.52 per cent, Meerut 60.50 per cent, Ghaziabad 57.42 per cent, Gautam Buddha Nagar 57.20 per cent and Aligarh 55.60 per cent.
Till 9 am, the average voting percentage was around 12 per cent in all the 10 constituencies, and it rose to 25.24 per cent at 11 am and 38.01 per cent at 1 pm.Polling in riot-hit Muzaffarnagar was brisk and peaceful since morning. However, some reports said that the riot victims staying in a relief camp in Shamli district could not exercise their franchise. But authorities refuted the reports.