An estimated 57.33 per cent of the 2.50 crore electorate exercised their franchise in 14 Lok Sabha constituencies of Uttar Pradesh in the fifth phase polling on Monday.
These 14 constituencies are spread over 16 districts of central UP and there were 182 candidates in the fray.
The fate of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh (Lucknow), Congress president Rahul Gandhi (Amethi) and Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani (Amethi) and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi (Rae Bareli), former Union minister Jitin Prasads (Dhaurahra) and former UP Congress president Nirmal Khatri( Faizabad) were sealed in the EVMs in this phase of polling.
Along with the polling for 14 Lok Sabha seats, repolling in 10 booths — eight of Shahjahanpur and one each of Hamirpur and Agra — were also held on Monday and they recorded around 57 per cent turnout.
The polling commenced at a brisk pace at 7 am but it slowed down during noon. It picked up pace again towards evening and several voters were still waiting in the queue when polling ended at 6 pm.
According to Election Commission officials, polling was peaceful though there were reports of malfunctioning of electronic voting machines (EVMs) at several booths in the morning. The officials also admitted that voters in several booths boycotted polling on the issue of development.
“The EVMs or VVPAT machines were changed but polling was disrupted for some time,” they said.
The EC official said that polling percentage was 9.76 points till 9 am and reached 22.88 points at 11 am, 35.43 points at 1 pm 53.19 at 5 pm .
In Amethi Lok Sabha constituency, the district authorities rejected the charges of irregularities and fraudulent voting as alleged by an old voter. The EC had sought a report from the Amethi district authorities over BJP candidate Smriti Irani’s allegation that an old lady was forced to vote for Congress. Following the complaint by the BJP candidate, the presiding officer of booth number 316 in Gujjar Tola in Gaurigang assembly segment of Amethi Lok Sabha seat was immediately removed by the authorities who ordered investigating into the matter.
In Lucknow, a three-member delegation of Samajwadi Party led by Rajendra Chaudhary submitted a memorandum to the EC, alleging rigging of polls in Kunda and Babaganj assembly segments of Kaushambi Lok Sabha seat.
“The Dalits and minorities were not allowed to cast their votes in more than 50 booths in these two assembly segments,” the delegation said, alleging that Kunda MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh aka Raja Bhaiya and his supporters prevented the voters from casting their vote.
The SP delegation also alleged that the ruling BJP was creating obstacles in free and fair polling and in Kunda and the authorities had failed to conduct free and fair polls.
On the other hand, SP candidate from Kaushambi, Indrajeet Saroj, also alleged that the ruling party, with the help of authorities, was rigging the polls.
Earlier, the Pratapgarh authorities had detained Raja Bhaiya along with eight other leaders of the district on Monday and they were only allowed to cast their votes.
In Barabanki district, a clash took place between the supporters of two political parties near a booth in Ramnagar police station area but prompt intervention of security personnel controlled the situation. The clash took place at Harinarayanpur village at booth number 270. However, polling was not disturbed due to the clash.
In Lucknow, polling was brisk in the early hours but it slowed down as the mercury rose. Till 5 pm, only 50.27 percent polling was recorded in Lucknow. In the 2014 Lok Sabha election, 53.06 per cent. polling was recorded. A minor clash between BJP and Congress workers was reported from Chhitawapur in the state capital. FIR was registered by both groups against each other.
A report from Gonda said that irate villages thrashed a booth Level officer (BLO) at Kachnapur booth number 56 after names of several voters were found missing from the electoral rolls.
In Kaushambi, voters of Torhi Ka Purwa in Kunda assembly segment, boycotted polls to press demand for a road while in Amethi Lok Sabha constituency, voters of booth number 125 boycotted polling to highlight their demand for an under bridge.
In Barabanki, voters of two villages — Kamalpur and Paharpur — on Siddhaur block boycotted polling to press demand for a bridge over a river while in Hargaon in Sitapur Lok Sabha constituency, voters of Singhanipara village boycotted polls over their demand for development of the village.
In Sitapur district, around 400 voters boycotted polling in Kahmara village over lack of development while in Nanpara town of Bahraich district, voters of Sarai village also boycotted the polls.