UP polls: Over 53 percent voter turnout recorded till 3 pm

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], Feb. 19 (ANI): A little over 53 percent voter turnout was recorded till 3 p.m. in the third phase of the ongoing assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday. Till 1 p.m. the turnout was estimated to be 38.96 percent. With over 826 candidates from 105 political parties contesting for 69 seats, polling began on Sunday morning for the crucial third phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections. The polling began at 7 a.m. and will continue till 5 in the evening. Polling parties have been sent to polling centers amid tight security. The districts going for polling in this phase are Farrukhabad, Hardoi, Kannauj, Mainpuri, Etawah, Kanpur, Kanpur Dehat, Auraiya, Lucknow, Unnao, Sitapur and Barabanki. There are 2 crore and 41 lakh voters, including over 1 crore 10 lakh women and 1028 third gender who will decide the political fate of 826 candidates including 105 women in the fray. Sixteen thousand 681 polling centers and 25 thousand 607 polling stations have been erected for polling. Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the smooth functioning of the polling process. Boarders of districts have been put under surveillance and heavy deployment of forces for round the clock checking is made. (ANI)