Voting for the the first phase in India’s high-stake northern Uttar Pradesh state began on Saturday morning.
The election process is being held in 73 assembly constituencies spread across 15 districts of the state.
Elaborate security arrangements have been made for smooth polling, especially in sensitive areas of Shamli, Aligarh, Muzaffarnagar, Mathura, Bulandshahr and Agra.
A polling official, Mohan Kumar, said paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has been deployed at polling booths.
The electoral battle in the state has grabbed all eyeballs, be it the electoral merger between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party or the infighting within the first family of this politically crucial state.
With the Congress and the Samajwadi Party formally sealing the alliance, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made efforts to seal deal with other smaller parties to ensure it achieves the mandate.
Voting in Uttar Pradesh will be done in seven phases – February 11, 15, 19, 23, 27, March 4 and 8. The counting of votes will take place on March 11.
