Voters 'First Division' pass in the first phase, Kairana has the highest 75 percent voting, Sahibabad is poor

In the first phase of Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, 58 seats in 11 districts saw 62 per cent voting on Thursday. In this phase, the maximum votes were cast in Kairana with 75.12 percent and the lowest 47.22 percent in Sahibabad. The Election Commission says that there were technical problems in the EVMs from many places, but the voting was peaceful.

An official of the commission said that on an average 62.08 per cent polling was recorded in these districts. Additional Chief Electoral Officer BD Ram Tiwari said that reports of technical problems in EVMs were received from some places. Voting was done on this by replacing the EVMs. On SP's allegations that poor voters were prevented from voting in Dundukheda village in Kairana assembly seat, he said that the matter has been brought to the notice of the District Magistrate. In addition to 800 companies of Central Armed Police Forces, one lakh policemen-home guards were deployed for security arrangements.

In the first phase, votes were cast in Jat-dominated areas of western Uttar Pradesh. The farmers here took part in the demonstration in Delhi against the three agricultural laws of the central government. In such a situation, this phase is being considered as a litmus test for the BJP as well as the RLD-SP alliance.

623 candidates are trying their luck

There are 623 candidates for the 58 seats in the first phase. Out of this, 73 women are trying their luck. In the 2017 elections, the BJP had won 53 of the 58 seats in the first phase, while the SP and BSP got two seats each. A candidate of Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) also emerged victorious.

Defects in 161 EVMs, polling stalled for a long time

During the elections, a large number of complaints about EVM malfunctioning were received by the Commission, due to which voting was also affected. The maximum strength came in Shamli and Bulandshahr. The commission had to change the machines after malfunctioning at 161 booths. In this both the ballot unit and control unit had to be changed. Apart from this, complaints of VVPAT were received at 374 places, after which the VVPAT was also changed.

The commission was also keeping an eye from the war room, the phone kept ringing throughout the day

The commission was also keeping watch from the war room. Out of the booths where webcasting was being done, live pictures of a large number of booths were visible in the War Room of the Commission. The commission received 358 complaints through the CVigil app, out of which 171 complaints were found to be correct. All the complaints received by the Commission through the helpline, instructions were being given to the concerned officers to take action on them. Most of the complaints were regarding the name not being in the voter list. A woman complained that her vote was already cast through ballot paper.

43,420 voters used postal ballot

In the first phase, four categories of people were given the freedom to vote through postal ballot. In this exemption was given to the elderly above 80 years of age, differently-abled, personnel engaged in essential service and personnel engaged in polling duty. In the first phase, 58924 voters were allotted postal ballots out of which 43420 voters cast their votes using it.

The fate of these ministers is imprisoned in EVMs

Shrikant Sharma, Suresh Rana, Sandeep Singh, Kapil Dev Agarwal, Atul Garg and Chaudhary Laxmi Narayan.

BJP-Congress supporters clash in Ghaziabad

There is news of a clash between supporters of BJP MP VK Singh and Congress leader Rajan Kant in Ghaziabad. In fact, this quarrel was opposed by the supporters of the Congress leader, while talking to the media after Singh's voting, counting the works of the BJP. The workers of both the parties started scuffle with each other regarding this. The matter was resolved after the intervention of the security forces.

The groom casts his vote after the horse-drawn

In Bulandshahr, the bridegroom Balram reached the four pillar center of Sadar seat to cast his vote before completing his marriage rituals. Balram cast his vote after reaching the polling station on a motorcycle after the Ghudchadhi ceremony.

Highest turnout in Shamli and lowest turnout in Ghaziabad

District turnout (average, in percentage)

Aligarh 61.37

Agra 60.23

Baghpat 65.05

Bulandshahr 65.12

Gautam Buddha Nagar 57.07

Ghaziabad 55.00

Hapur 67.68

Mathura 62.90

Meerut 63.27

Muzaffarnagar 65.91

Shamli 69.42

Comparative Figures in Percentage

District Name-          2022 - 2017

Shamli-                    69.42- 67.12

Muzaffarnagar-        65.91- 65.50

Meerut-                    63.27-66.00

Baghpat-                  65.05-64.99

Ghaziabad -             55.00-58.10

Hapur-                      67.68-65.67

Gautam Buddha Nagar- 57.07-59.17

Bulandshahr-             65.12-64.65

Aligarh-                     61.37-64.66

Mathura-                   62.90-65.39

Agra-                        60.23-63.88