UP records 46.77 percent polling till 3 pm

Lucknow: Over 46.77 percent voters exercised their franchise till 3 pm in Uttar Pradesh, where polling is going on in 12 seats in the third phase to decide fate of 188 candidates. Hathras witnessed 48.4 per cent polling in the first four hours while Mathura and Agra recorded 50.2 and 49.96 per cent polling respectively. [caption id=“attachment_1495669” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  A voter from Muzaffarnagar. AFP[/caption] Fatehpur Sikri recorded 47.2 per cent polling, Firozabad 53.8 per cent, Mainpuri 44.4 per cent, Etah 42.94 per cent, Hardoi 44.2 per cent, Farukhabad 43.4 per cent, Etawah 41.9 per cent, Kannauj and Akbarpur had 51.9 and 43.1 per cent respectively. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, senior cabinet minister Shivpal Singh Yadav exercised their vote along with their family members in Etawah. Union Minister Salman Khurshid exercised his franchise at a polling centre at a Pitaura in Farukkhabad. Meanwhile, in-charge of Merapur police station Ram Sajeevan Yadav has been suspended with immediate effect on allegation of partiality during the polling. A complaint was received from former minister Narendra Singh Yadav father of rebel Samajwadi Party candidate Sachin Yadav’s and the electoral observer report was sought, SP Alankrita Singh said. She said that after receiving the report from the observer, Ram Sajeevan was suspended with immediate effect. Earlier Narendra Yadav had a confrontation with Subodh Yadav son of SP candidate Rameshwar Yadav at Samtuia polling centre. According to a report, voters boycotted polling in Totalpur, Adampur, Shyamnagar and Agnipur villages in Firozabad district to protest against lack of development. Similarly in Auraiya district of Etawah Lok Sabha 0electorate of Shala and Ratnipur villages boycotted election, but it resumed later on the assurance of the officials. In Etawah Lok Sabha area electorates boycotted polling in two villages. In in Lavedi area demanding arrest of persons involved in rape and murder of a girl, 2500 electorates boycotted polling, whereas in Thadburkhara village 609 electorates boycotted polling to protect against lack of development works. PTI