New Delhi: 63 per cent turnout was recorded in the first phase of the staggered Uttar Pradesh assembly elections spanning 73 constituencies in the western part of the state, officials said.

Polling was more or less peaceful across the 15 districts with some sporadic incidents of violence reported at some places, while at quite a few places, voting was delayed due to malfunctioning EVMs.

People turned up in large numbers to cast their franchise and elect their next representatives for the 17th state assembly. Voting took place in 73 assembly segments spread across 15 districts.

The polling percentage in the region has bettered the past two elections of 2007 and 2012, an election official told IANS based on reports gathered from all polling stations. The average polling is over 60 per cent in western UP seats.

Final details of the polling percentage will only be available after 7 p.m.

By the time voting ended, Noida had recorded 59 per cent, Dadri 61, Jewar (65), Bulandshahr (64), Shamli (62), Fatehabad (70.82), Mathura (67), Agra (63.94) and Fatehpur Siri (69.49). The polling percentage in Mathura improved by eight per cent over the 2012 state assembly elections.

Total vote percentage in the 2007 state assembly polls was 45.96 per cent and 59.40 per cent in 2012. This seemingly is set to be broken this time round as people are turning out in much larger numbers.

Here are all important updates related to Uttar Pradesh polls 2017

  • Hathras recorded 50 per cent, Shamli 53 and Kasganj 51.17 per cent, while Noida and Ghaziabad adjoining the national capital recorded 49 per cent and 50.42 per cent respectively.

  • Overall 39% voter turnout recorded till 1 pm

  • 42% polling till 1pm in Muzaffarnagar
    37.56% voting in Ghaziabad till 1pm
    Aligarh: 38% polling till 1pm

  • 30% votes polled till 12 pm

  • Meerut: BJP MLA Sangeet Som's brother Gagan held for carrying pistol inside polling booth in Sardhana

  • There is a big BSP wave across the state and the reports I am getting from the first phase of voting are very positive: Mayawati

  • BJP wins all three MLC seats in UP where elections were held: Kanpur, Gorakhpur and Bareilly

  • 29% voting in Shamli till 11 am

  • Union Minister Sanjeev Balyan cast his vote in Muzaffarnagar





  • 10.56% voting in first phase of Uttar Pradesh elections till 9 am

  • Baghpat: 98 year old Sultani cast her vote in Chhaprauli.



ALSO READ: Reason to cheer: BJP wins 3 MLC seats in UP

 Image courtesy: ANI/Twitter

  • 10.5% voting in Aligarh and 12% in Bulandshahr till 9 am: UP Polls 2017

  • 10 per cent voting in Hapur till 9 am.

  • 15 per cent voting in Muzaffarnagar till 9 am: UP Polls 2017

  • May Akhilesh Yadav gets all success, says Amar Singh

  • Amar Sing casts his vote: UP Polls 2017






  • BJP candidate from Sardhana Sangeet Som, wife cast vote. (PIC/ABP NEWS)
  



  • Ghaziabad's Sahibabad is the largest constituency in terms of electorate

  • Over 2.59 crore to vote today in Phase 1 of UP polls 2017

  • BJP National Secretary Shrikant Sharma, who is the party's candidate for Mathura Assembly seat casts his vote. (PIC/ABP News)



  • PM Narendra Modi appealed people to vote: UP Polls 2017



 



  • Polling started at 7 am.





BSP-SP supporters clash in UP's Meerut city

Supporters of the Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) clashed on Saturday in Meerut city of Uttar Pradesh over issues relating to voting.

In the first phase of voting in western Uttar Pradesh, some people opened fire on others in a village in Kithaur area, a police official told IANS.

Firstly there was a minor clash in a polling booth in which one person was injured.

The two sides were pacified by security personnel deployed there but an altercation broke out later in the village where one side opened fire on another.

The two sides belonged to SP-BSP, an official confirmed, adding the situation was under control.

Polling began at 7 a.m. on Saturday for 73 seats in 15 districts.

Next voting in the Uttar Pradesh will be conducted on February 15 then on 19, 23, 27, March 4 and 8. The counting of votes will take place on March 11.

The ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) is looking ahead to retain power in the UP. The Congress, with a political merger with the SP is hoping to resurrect its position. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) are, however, trying to regain its lost glory in the politically-crucial state of India.