Re-polling ordered at Azamgarh booth on May 19

The Election Commission on Friday ordered re-polling to be conducted at a booth in Azamgarh during the seventh and last phase of general elections on May 19.

In a statement, the EC said re-polling would be conducted at booth number 337 located at Karaut in Mubarakpur. Polling would be conducted from 7 am to 6 pm on Sunday, EC said.

Alleging misconduct by a polling official at a booth here, the Samajwadi Party (SP) had written to the EC raising concern over the same. The SP alleged that at booth number 57, set up at Primary School Mustafabad of Mehnagar Assembly constituency, the polling officer was casting votes on behalf of elder women and senior citizens.

Addressing a press conference here today, Uttar Pradesh's Chief Electoral Officer L Venkateshwar Loo said the EC has decided to honour magistrates of the districts that witness "good" voter turnout in the Lok Sabha elections.

He also appealed to the people to exercise their franchise in the elections, adding that EC officials are working hard to increase voter turnout in the last phase of elections.

Loo said that despite the EC's voter awareness campaign to persuade voters to take part in the electoral exercise, people at many places did not vote, which is worrisome.

At Azamgarh Lok Sabha constituency which went to polls on May 12 during the penultimate phase of elections, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav contested against Bhojpuri actor Dinesh Lal Yadav alias 'Nirahua' of BJP.

The sixth phase of Lok Sabha elections was held across 59 constituencies in six states and in NCT of Delhi on Sunday.

Elections to 484 constituencies stand completed in the first six phases, and remaining 59 seats will go to polls on May 19 in the final phase of the Lok Sabha elections. Results will be announced on May 23.