Phase II scores 43 pc in dull polling

Sporadic incidents of violence were reported from a few places in the 17 constituencies which went to polls on Thursday.

The highest turnout of 52 per cent was recorded in Ambedkar Nagar,while the lowest,38.4, was in Kaushambi. Pratapgarh saw 39.1 per cent voting,Allahabad 43,Jaunpur 41.5 per cent while Faizabad saw 47 per cent turnout. Vinay Katiyar of the BJP is in the fray for the Ambedkar Nagar Lok Sabha seat.

Amethi,the Lok Sabha constituency of Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi,witnessed a low turnout of only 40 per cent. In the 2004 Lok Sabha election,the polling in Amethi was 44.43 per cent. In the first phase of polling for 16 Lok Sabha constituencies on April 16,over 46 per cent voters had exercised their franchise.

UP’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Anuj Kumar Bishnoi said the polling was peaceful. He said the Commission received 84 complaints of rigging and other irregularities,but all were found incorrect. In 13 places,EVMs had to be replaced due to technical fault.

In Pratapgarh,the district authorities had asked Independent MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya and Congress legislature party leader Pramod Tiwari to stay indoors till the end of the polling. The CEO said some incidents of clashes were reported. Two people were injured in Lakhanpur village in Karchana Assembly segment in Allahabad Lok Sabha constituency in a clash between rival groups.

Another clash was reported between BJP and BSP supporters at Narendrapur polling booth under Mankapur police station in Gonda Lok Sabha constituency. BJP candidate Ram Pratap Singh received minor injuries and his vehicle was damaged. FIRs were registered against both parties.

A minor clash took place in Sharavasti Lok Sabha constituency between supporters of the BSP and the Congress in Balrampur district. An FIR against 11 persons,including Congress candidate Vinay Kumar Pandey,was lodged.