An estimated 47.05 per cent of the 41 lakh voters exercised their franchise in the bypolls to 11 assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh on Monday, sealing the fate of 109 candidates in the fray.
As compared to March, 2017 assembly elections, the voter turnout was less by 13 per cent. Average polling in these 11 constituencies in the 2017 polls was 60 per cent.
Election Commission sources said in Lucknow that the polling in all the 11 constituencies was peaceful and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere.
Polling ended with 47.05 per of voters exercising their franchise till 6 pm.
In Rampur however, fracas between Bharatiya Janata Party and Samajwadi Party workers was reported and around 20 people were detained for using fake identity proofs for becoming polling agents of parties.
Gangoh in Saharanpur recorded the highest 60.30 per cent polling, In Lucknow Cantonment, the lowest 28. 53 per cent polling was reported. In 2017 Assembly polls, Gangoh had witnessed 71.92 per cent polling while in Lucknow Cantonment, the voter turnout was 50.77 per cent.
Voter turnout in Rampur was 44 per cent, in Iglas 36.20 per cent, in Govindnagar 32.60 per cent, Manikpur 52.10 per cent, Pratapgarh 44 per cent, Zaidpur per cent, Jalalpur 58.80 per cent, Balha 52 per cent, and Ghosi 52 per cent.
In the 2017 assembly polls, Rampur had polled 56.16 per cent votes, Iglas 64.88 per cent, Govindnagar 52.48 per cent, Manikpur 59.44 per cent, Pratapgarh 55.56 per cent, Zaidpur 69.71 per cent, Jalalpur 62.55 per cent, Balha 57.83 per cent and Ghosi 58.67 per cent.
Election Commission sources said that polling commenced on a dull note in the morning but as the sun brightened, voters were seen queuing up outside polling booths.
Central para-military forces were deployed in all 11 assembly constituencies that had 109 candidates in the fray.
All prominent political parties have claimed their stake on all 11 assembly seats which witnessed a four-cornered contest, giving an edge to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
Though the BJP candidates were sitting comfortably in most of seats that went to bypolls, in Ghosi, Rampur and Jalalpur it faced tough contest.
The BJP party deployed its might for winning all seats and organised several public meetings, conclaves for women and meetings with farmers, OBC, ST among others.
The assembly seats where polling was held on Monday are Ghosi, Rampur, Jalalpur, Pratapgarh, Lucknow Cantonment, Iglas, Gangoh, Zaidpur, Balha, Govindnagar and Manikpur assembly seats.
Counting of votes will be taken up on October 24.