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Tight security for civic polls in Uttar Pradesh

Tight security arrangements have been made for the first round of urban local bodies elections in Uttar Pradesh, polling for which began Monday.

State Election Commissioner Yashpal Singh said: "Besides 1.25 lakh policemen, seven companies of Rapid Action Force have been deployed in sensitive areas, including Agra, Kanpur, Varanasi, Allahabad, Meerut, Moradabad and Lucknow.

The second and final round of polling will take place on November 23.

In the first phase, 830 corporators in 11 municipal corporations, 4,909 members of 193 municipal councils and 4,785 members of 416 town area committees would be elected.

"Over 20 million voters will exercise their franchise on the two polling dates. Over 2.5 lakh state government employees and teachers are helping in carrying out this massive exercise," Singh said.

Over 31,000 candidates are in the fray in the first round alone.

The State Election Commission has issued directives not to allow any minister within 100 metres of a polling booth. Even while casting their vote, ministers would not be allowed to be accompanied by their security personnel.

So far there have been no reports of any untoward incident. Polling in Mubarakpur town of Azamgarh district in eastern UP has been postponed following riots.

Polling in Mubarakpur was scheduled in the second phase. A fresh date for polling is yet to be declared.

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