An estimated 53.62 percent of the 24.34 lakh voters exercised their franchise in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly bypolls to seven seats on Tuesday amid allegations of bogus voting in Naugawan Sadat constituency of Amroha and poll boycott in Tundla.
The sources in the Election Commission said that the turnout of voters was likely to increase further.
Counting of votes will be held on November 10.
The polling for seven seats with 88 candidates in the fray began at 7 am amid tight security and adherence to Covid precautions. The voting picked momentum as the day progressed.
“Voter turnout went up to 51.22 percent by 5 pm from just 18.49 percent at 11 am,” the Election Commission sources said.
Six of these seven seats were held by the Bharatiya Janata Party, while the Malhani seat of Jaunpur was wrested by the Samajwadi Party in the 2017 Assembly polls.
The electoral fortunes of 88 candidates, including nine women, was locked in the electronic voting machines (EVMs) by the voters in 3,655 polling booths spread over 1,754 polling centres.
“All preparations to ensure a free, fair and peaceful polling, keeping in mind the COVID-19 pandemic, were made,” Chief Electoral Officer Ajay Kumar Shukla said.
Voting started with the deployment of ‘adequate’ security forces at polling booths, including 371 critical ones. Amid the polling, BJP candidate Sangeeta Chauhan from Naugawan Sadat seat in Amroha alleged ‘fake’ voting in her constituency and demanded that those wearing burqa should remove face covers to enable poll officials to ascertain their identities.
“Fake voting is going on, but the administration is unable to understand this. We are repeatedly complaining but no one is listening,” charged Chauhan.
The chief electoral officer said that the matter was being looked into and a report had been sought from the district magistrate of Amroha.
People at some places in the Tundla constituency of Firozabad boycotted the bypoll, alleging that no development had taken place in their area and insisting that they would not vote unless they got assurance for development.
Chanting ‘vikas nahi, to vote nahi’ (no development, no vote), that voters at Rudhau Mustkil booth boycotted polling.
In a video clip that surfaced on social media, local Sub-Divisional Magistrate Ekta Singh could be seen trying to persuade the people to vote.
The Naugawan Sadat seat fell vacant after the death of UP cabinet minister and former India cricketer Chetan Chauhan. The bypoll to Ghatampur seat of Kanpur Nagar was necessitated due to the death of UP minister Kamal Rani Varun. Both died of COVID-19.
SP Singh Baghel, who was the Tundla MLA, was elected to Lok Sabha, while the Bangarmau seat in Unnao fell vacant after BJP legislator Kuldeep Singh Sengar was convicted in a rape case.
Similarly, bypolls to Bulandshahr, Deoria and Malhani seats were necessitated due to the demise of sitting MLAs Virendra Singh Sirohi, Janmejay Singh and Parasnath Yadav (SP) respectively.
As the seven constituencies went to polls, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath appealed to people to cast votes in large numbers by following pandemic protocols, saying that democracy would win and coronavirus would be defeated.
“Voting has started for bypolls to seven Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh. All respected voters must participate in this ‘mahaparva’ of democracy by following precautions related to Covid. Take all precautions, perform the duty of voting. Democracy will win, coronavirus will be defeated,” Yogi tweeted.
UP BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh also urged people to vote while following COVID-19 guidelines.
“Bypolls elections are being held in seven Assembly seats today. I request all voters to follow COVID-19 guidelines and vote and play the role of a conscious citizen in a healthy democratic system. Voting first, then refreshment!” he tweeted.