Over 60% turnout recorded in 1st phase

Agra recorded 56.61% polling, Aligarh 57.25%, Baghpat 61.35%, Bulandshahr 60,52%, Gautam Buddh Nagar 54.77 %, Ghaziabad 54.77%, Hapur 60.50%, Mathura 58.51%, Meerut 58.52%, Muzaffarnagar 62.14% and Shamli 61.78%

Lucknow: Over 60 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 5 pm on Thursday in Uttar Pradesh, where polling was held across 58 assembly constituencies in 11 districts in the first phase. Polling closed at 6 pm but those already in queue were allowed to vote, Election Commission officials said. There were reports of technical snags in EVMs at some places, but voting was peaceful, they added.

"An average 57.79 per cent polling was witnessed in Uttar Pradesh till 5 pm," an official said. Additional Chief Election Officer (ACEO) B D Ram Tiwari said, "There were reports of a technical error in EVMs at some places." Those EVMs were being replaced as the reports came in, he added.

On the Samajwadi Party's allegation that poor voters were not allowed to exercise their franchise in Dundukheda village in the Kairana assembly constituency, Tiwari said the district magistrate concerned was asked to look into the matter.

Till 5 pm, Agra recorded 56.61 per cent polling, Aligarh 57.25 per cent, Baghpat 61.35 per cent, Bulandshahr 60,52 per cent, Gautam Buddh Nagar 54.77 per cent, Ghaziabad 54.77 per cent, Hapur 60.50 per cent, Mathura 58.51 per cent, Meerut 58.52 per cent, Muzaffarnagar 62.14 per cent and Shamli 61.78 per cent, an EC report said.

A report from Ghaziabad said a minor skirmish took place between supporters of BJP leader V K Singh and Congress leader Rajan Kant, allegedly when the former addressed media persons and talked about the work done by the BJP within the premises of a polling station, and security personnel had to intervene. In Bulandshahr, a groom reached the Char Khamba polling station in the Sadar assembly segment to cast his vote before joining his marriage procession.