57% cast vote in Phase IV

Pratapgarh district witnessed the lowest turnout of 52.86 per cent,while Rae Bareli had most voters exercising their franchise (59.80 per cent),followed by Kannauj (59.33 per cent),Hardoi (59.19 per cent),Farrukhabad (59 per cent),Fatehpur (58.17),Chitrakoot (57.50),Unnao (57.17),Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Nagar (57),Lucknow (55.89),and Banda (54.25).

Shahabad constituency of Hardoi witnessed the highest voter turnout of 64 per cent while Kunda of Pratapgarh had the lowest. In Lucknow,55.89 per cent voters flocked to the booths — its highest since 2002 polls when it saw a turnout of 42.27 per cent.

In 2007,Lucknow had seen 35.85 per cent turnout,while in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls,the turnout was 40.24.

Chief Electoral Officer Umesh Sinha said the polling passed off peacefully,though there were complaints of 30 malfunctioning EVMs. He said 15 machines were changed.

Rajanlal Yadav,presiding officer at a polling booth in Lucknow Cantonment,died in a hospital where he was taken after he had complained of heart pain while on duty. Sinha said an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh has been released for Yadav’s family.

While the polling percentage in the first phase of elections was 60.02,the figure was 55.60 per cent in the second phase,and 57.22 per cent in the third. February 23 will see the fifth of the seven phases.

Azam khan says ec working on cong orders

Badaun: Alleging the Election Commission was working on the Centre’s directions,Samajwadi Party leader Mohammad Azam Khan today said Congress leaders were repeatedly violating the model code of conduct but the EC kept mum.

“Congress leaders Digvijaya Singh,Beni Prasad Verma and Salman Khurshid have made a mockery of the Election Commission but the constitutional body has kept its eyes closed. It seems the EC is working on directions of the Centre,” Azam said at a rally here.

He also alleged the state administration was functioning as a BSP agent.