 "UP polling")
"Polling is underway at a brisk pace in 53 assembly constituencies spread over 12 districts, including the backward Bundelkhand region," the CEO office said here.
The pace of voting was slow in the first few hours but picked up as the day advanced.
The exercise was by and large peaceful in view of tight security arrangements.
Inter district and inter state borders have been sealed and patrolling by security forces has been intensified in poll-bound areas. Most of the sensitive polling centres are being manned by the personnel of Central Paramilitary Forces.
680 candidates are in the fray in this phase which covers Rae Bareli, Pratapgarh, Kaushambi, Allahabad, Jalaun, Jhansi, Lalitpur, Mahoba, Banda, Hamirpur, Chitrakoot and Fatehpur districts.
The BSP has fielded its nominees in all seats, while BJP's nominees are in 48 constituencies. The BJP has left 6 seats for its ally Apna Dal. The SP nominees are in contest in 30 segments and its ally, the Congress, is in contest from 25 constituencies.
In 2012 polls, out of the 53 seats in this phase, the Samajwadi Party had won 24, BJP 5, the Bahujan Samaj Party 15, the Congress 6 and others had got 3.
Elections for the UP legislative Assembly are being held in seven phases, with three more on February 27, March 4 and 8 to follow after today's polling. Results will be out on March 11.
