18% votes cast in UP in first 4 hours of polls

Nearly 18 per cent voters today exercised their franchise in the first four hours of Lok Sabha polls in 18 constituencies spread over 20 districts in Uttar Pradesh. 

"Till 11 AM, 18.29 per cent votes were cast in 18 parliamentary constituencies. The polling has been peaceful so far," election department officials here said.  

Maximum of 24.3 per cent polling was registered in Mathura, whereas only 12 per cent votes were polled in Ferozabad, they said. In Ghaziabad from where BJP President Rajnath Singh is in the fray, nearly 19.4 per cent electorate exercised their franchise in the first four hours, they said. 

Meanwhile, 19 per cent votes were polled in Kairana, 21 per cent in Muzaffarnagar, 20 per cent in Meerut, 15 per cent in Bagpath, 18.3 per cent Gautam Buddh Nagar, 19 per cent Bulandshahr, 16.7 per cent Aligarh, 15.7 per cent Hathras, 18 per cent Agra, 16.4 per cent Mainpuri, 17.15 per cent in Etah, 19 per cent each in Farukkhabad and Etawah and 20.4 per cent in Kannauj. 

Almost 2.55 crore voters are expected to exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 314 candidates in 18 seats spread over 20 districts of the state.