New Delhi: Polling in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh (Phase III) Assembly elections on Sunday was largely peaceful, with 65.32% turnout in Punjab and 60.46% in Uttar Pradesh, according to the Election Commission.
The turnout in Punjab was down by around 12% in comparison to the 2017 elections, when 77.40% voters exercised their franchise in the State. As the State witnessed a lower voter turnout, speculations were rife among political observers about “tactical understanding between traditional parties”.
Meanwhile, a total of 59 Assembly seats, spread over 16 districts in Uttar Pradesh, went to the polls in Phase III, with 627 candidates in the fray. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Ajay Kumar Shukla said polling had gone off peacefully and the turnout numbers would go up.
Mr. Shukla said 0.36% of ballot and control units and 1.36% of VVPATs were changed during polling, till 5 p.m. During the mock poll before the polling began, 0.86% of ballot units, 0.71% of control units and 0.99% of VVPATs were changed. In the third phase, there were 133 candidates who had declared criminal cases against them.
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