UP Polls Phase 4 Highlights: 59.88% Turnout, Mayawati & Rajnath Singh Cast Votes

The fourth phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections covered 59 constituencies from 9 districts.

Voting for the fourth phase of Uttar Pradesh (UP) Assembly elections ended at 6 pm on Wednesday, 23 February with a 59.88 percent voter turnout.

(Photo altered by The Quint.)

Voting for the fourth phase of Uttar Pradesh (UP) Assembly elections ended at 6 pm on Wednesday, 23 February with a 59.88 percent voter turnout.

Polling in this phase covered several key constituencies including Lucknow, with many high-profile leaders including Union Minister Rajnath Singh and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati casting their votes in the capital city.

The fourth phase covered 59 constituencies from 9 districts: Lakhimpur Kheri, Pilibhit, Sitapur, Hardoi, Unnao, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Banda, and Fatehpur. These districts cover 16 reserved constituencies.

Minister of State Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni, whose son is the prime accused in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case, also cast his vote at a polling booth in Banwaripur, amid tight security.

Voter Turnout Highest in Pilibhit, Lowest in Lucknow

Polling ended with a 59.88 percent voter turnout, with the highest voting recorded in Pilibhit (67.59 percent), and the lowest in Lucknow (55.92 percent.)

Here is a record of the voter turnout, as shared by the EC at various times of the day:

• 9 am: 9.10%

• 11 am: 22.62%

• 1 pm: 37.45

• 3 pm: 49.89%

• 5 pm: 57.45%

• 6 pm: 59.88%

MoS Ajay Mishra Casts Vote in Lakhimpur Kheri Amid Security Armour

Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni on Tuesday, 22 February, was escorted by scores of police personnel as he went to cast his vote in Lakhimpur Kheri.

Videos of the same being circulated on social media show an armour of security personnel around Teni at a polling booth in Banwaripur, as reporters launch a volley of questions in his direction. The minister, while refusing to respond to the queries about his son Ashish Mishra, flashes a 'V' (for victory) sign with his fingers.

MoS Mishra had come under the fire last year after his son was named the prime suspect in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence that had led to the deaths of four farmers.

PM Modi & Akhilesh Yadav Address Rallies, Make Jibes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hit out at rivals during his rallies in Baranki and Ayodhya districts, saying that they only care about "vote bank" politics and turn a blind eye to the problems of Muslim women suffering due to triple talaq.

PM Modi took a jab at rivals for claiming that they can understand people's pain more than those who have no family and said that UP and the entire country is family.

Meanwhile, while addressing a rally in Bahraich, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav took a jibe at CM Yogi Adityanath, saying that he has booked a flight ticket from Lucknow to Gorakhpur for 11 March.

'Fevikwik' Tampers an EVM, Hinders Voting 

Ruckus had erupted at a polling station in Lakhimpur Kheri on Wednesday, after Fevikwik was thrown on an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM).

The incident happened in the Kadipur Sani area of Lakhimpur Kheri. Voting resumed after the EVM was replaced.

"We had received a complaint via Twitter that the button of a particular party on an EVM machine was stuck with glue by somebody. The EVM machine was changed immediately. The voting has resumed peacefully and the accused is being thoroughly investigated," SP Kheri said in a video statement.