UP urban body elections: BJP's Sudhanshu Trivedi casts his vote in Lucknow

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 4 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sudhanshu Trivedi on Thursday cast his vote in the first phase of Municipal Corporation elections in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow which began at 7 am amid tight security.
"Voting is a festival for a democracy which gives rights to every person to cast his vote and strengthens the democracy. I urge people to come out of their houses and exercise their rights," he said while speaking to ANI.
Trivedi cast his vote at Sherwood Academy in ward number-267 of Lucknow.
On being asked about the opposition, especially the Samajwadi Party's allegations of corruption and fraud in the elections, Trivedi said that the elections are being held under the guidance of the Election Commission.
"The elections are going on under the Election Commission and we cannot question the constitutional body. If someone alleges corruption and fraud in this election, I think he is accepting his defeat before the election's result," the BJP leader said.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also cast his vote earlier today and urged the people to exercise their franchise.
Voting is underway in 37 districts of 9 divisions and 10 municipal corporations. In 10 municipal corporations, voting will be held in 830 wards, 9,699 polling places and 2,658 polling stations are set up in Municipal Corporations.
According to officials, in the UP urban body elections, 2 crores 40 lakhs voters will use their right to vote to choose/elect 10 mayors, 820 councillors, 103 municipal council presidents, 2740 member municipal councils, 275 presidents including 3645 municipal council members in the 37 districts of Uttar Pradesh.
The first phase of voting is being held in 37 districts Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Saharanpur, Bijnor, Amroha, Moradabad, Rampur, Sambhal, Agra, Firozabad, Mathura, Mainpuri, Jhansi, Jalaun, Lalitpur, Kaushambi, Prayagraj, Fatehpur, Pratapgarh, Unnao, Hardoi, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Sitapur, Lakhimpur Kheri, Gonda, Bahraich, Balrampur, Shravasti, Gorakhpur, Deoria, Maharajganj, Kushinagar, Ghazipur, Varanasi, Chandauli and Jaunpur of 9 divisions of Uttar Pradesh i.e. Saharanpur, Moradabad, Agra, Jhansi, Prayagraj, Lucknow, Devipatan, Gorakhpur and Varanasi.
In 10 municipal corporations, voting will be held in 830 wards, 9699 polling places and 2658 polling stations are set up in Municipal Corporations.
There are 6303542 male and 5362151 female voters in Municipal Corporation.
The polling for the second phase will take place on May 11 to elect representatives for the posts across 760 local bodies in the state. The counting of votes will take place on May 13. (ANI)