Uttar Pradesh reported 35.03 per cent voter turnout till 1 pm on Thursday in the first phase of the state Assembly elections, according to the Election Commission (EC).
The Shamli district witnessed the highest voting percentage with a voter turnout of 41.84 per cent, while Gautam Buddh Nagar district witnessed the lowest voter turnout of 28.66 per cent.
Among all the 11 districts where the polling is underway in the state, Agra recorded a voter turnout of 37.02 per cent, Ghaziabad reported 31.84 per cent, Meerut reported 34.47 per cent, Muzaffarnagar reported 35.55 per cent, Mathura reported 35.92 per cent, Aligarh reported 32.06 per cent, Baghpat reported 38.03 per cent, Bulandshahr reported 37.05 per cent and Hapur reported 40.12 per cent till 1 pm.
Voting for the first phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections began on Thursday at 7:00 am. Covering the Jat-dominant belt of western Uttar Pradesh, the first phase of polls will cover 58 Assembly constituencies across 11 districts of the state.
The voting, which will conclude at 6:00 pm today, is taking place at 25,849 polling stations and 10,766 polling centres.
As many as 623 candidates are in the fray on 58 assembly seats where polls are being held today.
As per the norms, the campaigning for the first phase of the UP polls ended on Tuesday (February 8) at 6 pm, marking the start of a 48-hour-long silence period.
The police have sealed the borders of the state and strict vigilance is underway to maintain peace in 58 constituencies where elections are underway.
Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all the voters in Uttar Pradesh to participate in the elections while following the necessary COVID-19 guidelines.
"Today is the first phase of voting in the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. I request all the voters to participate enthusiastically in this holy festival of democracy by following the rules of COVID.
Remember - Vote first, then refreshments," read PM Modi's tweet roughly translated from Hindi.
The 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly is scheduled to go to the polls in seven phases on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, March 3, and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.
( With inputs from ANI )
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