Amidst minor incidents, average 59.06 per cent polling was recorded in 14 Lok Sabha seats that went to poll today in Uttar Pradesh's fourth phase, sealing fate of 233 candidates.
UP Chief Electoral Officer Umesh Sinha told reporters here that an average 59.06 per cent polling was recorded in the fourth phase, which was 11.26 per cent higher as compared to 47.8 per cent in 2009 elections.
He said that Dhaurahra witnessed 66.6 per cent polling while Sitapur and Mishrikh recorded 66.4 and 57.74 per cent, respectively.
Unnao recorded 56.37 per cent polling, Mohanlalganj 61.17 per cent, Lucknow 54.35 per cent, Rae Bareli 52.6 per cent, Kanpur 54 per cent, Jalaun 55.28 per cent, Jhansi 70.4 per cent, Hamirpur 55.6 per cent, Banda 54.47 per cent, Fatehpur 58.58 per cent and Barabanki recorded 63.9 per cent polling.
He said that during polling held between 7 AM to 6 PM 59.06 per cent of the 2.46 crore electorate, including 1.12 crore women, sealed fate of 233 candidates at 25,485 polling centres.
He said that in Sitapur an FIR has been lodged against SP MLA Rampal Yadav after he entered into an altercation with CRPF jawan Dharampal Singh at Nauabehad polling booth in Biswan area.
He said that in Jhansi some persons pelted stones at the vehicle of Anirrudh Sharma, son of BSP candidate Anuradha Sharma, in Raksa area after which an FIR was lodged.
Sinha said that two polling staff, including a sector magistrate, died due to cardiac arrest during polling for the fourth phase in Unnao and Sitapur districts.
Executive Engineer B L Sharma, who was posted as sector magistrate at Basdhana polling centre in Unnao, died due to cardiac arrest during election duty, he said.
Similarly, primary school teacher Harishanker Shukla (54), who was deployed as alphabet locater at the polling centre at Hindu Kanya Mahavidyalaya in Sitapur, died due to cardiac arrest during election duty.
UP Governor B L Joshi, BSP supremo Mayawati, Congress candidate from Lucknow Rita Bahuguna Joshi, BJP president Rajnath Singh and party leader Kalraj Mishra were among those who exercised their franchise.
This phase has sealed the fate of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, BJP president Rajnath Singh, Union Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal and former BJP president Murli Manohar Joshi, Union minister Pradeep Jain Aditya, former MP CM Uma Baharti, Union minister Jitin Prasada from Dhaurahra and chairman of National SC Commission P L Punia.
This phase is specially important for Congress as of 22 seats won by the party in 2009 Lok Sabha polls seven were from this phase. SP won in four seats, BSP two and BJP only one.
Sinha said that bypoll for Unnao and Fatehpur Assembly seats was also held with the fourth phase Lok Sabha elections.
He said 63 per cent and 59 per cent polling was recorded for two Assembly seats respectively. These two seats fell vacant following demise of SP MLAs Deepak Kumar from Unnao and Syed Kasim Hassan from Fatehpur.
