62 per cent turnout over 8 UP seats in second phase

Over 62 per cent of the votes were cast in the eight constituencies which went to the polls in Uttar Pradesh in the second phase of Lok Sabha elections on Thursday.

State Congress chief Raj Babbar and actor-turned-politician Hema Malini (BJP) are among the 85 candidates in the fray in this phase.

The Election Commission put the overall voter turnout at 62.30 per cent for the eight seats at 6 pm, the closing time for polling.

However, people still in the queue at the polling centres then were being allowed to cast their vote, officials said.

According to the EC, the polling percentage till 6 pm was 62.10 in Nagina (SC), 68.77 in Amroha, 62.14 in Bulandshahr (SC), 61.25 in Hathras (SC), 59.60 in Agra (SC), 62.80 in Aligarh, 60.56 in Mathura, and 61.16 in Fatehpur Sikri.

There are 1.4 crore registered voters in these constituencies.

People boycotted the polls during the initial hours in Nagina constituency's Gujjupura, protesting that there was no polling booth in their own village.

However, Bijnor district administration officials intervened, persuading them to cast their vote.

BJP MLA from Hasanpur in Amroha district, Mahendra Singh Khadagvanshi triggered a row, alleging that burqa-clad women were indulging in fake voting. The district administration, however, denied the charge.

Bulandshahr administration acted against BJP MP Bhola Singh after a video clip on social media showed him "seeking blessings" inside a polling booth.

"His movements were restricted till 4 pm and he was not allowed to move out from his house. He was seen seeking blessings from the people at a polling centre, which is a violation of the model code of conduct," Bulandshahr District Magistrate Abhay Singh told PTI.

He said candidates can visit a polling booth but are not allowed to talk with the voters there.

When contacted UP Chief Electoral Officer L Venkateshwar Lu said, "We have sought a report from the district magistrate in this regard."