Akash Agarwal accused polling officials of misconduct and alleged booth capturing at Chhata.
AGRA: Polling for the Agra graduate and teachers’ constituencies of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council concluded at 4 pm on Friday amid tight security, with the BJP and Samajwadi Party (SP) locked in a keen contest ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
He said the election outcome did not matter to him but maintained that he had the right to decide which party he contested from. Agra Police Commissioner Deepak Kumar said he rushed to the spot after receiving a complaint and found the situation peaceful upon arrival. He said he had assured senior SP leaders that all eligible voters would be allowed to cast their votes in a peaceful, fair and impartial manner, in accordance with Election Commission guidelines.
Agarwal accused polling officials of misconduct and alleged booth capturing at Chhata. He claimed that his supporters were being harassed at polling stations and alleged irregularities in Kheragarh, where voters were reportedly asked to leave when the presiding officer took a meal break. He also threatened to convert to Islam at Lucknow’s Shahi Eidgah, alleging that booth capturing was continuing.
Tension erupted in Fatehabad after an SP polling agent allegedly accused BJP workers of assault, while SP candidate for the Agra teachers’ constituency, Dr Akash Agarwal, broke down before the media, alleging widespread irregularities and harassment of his supporters.
The Agra teachers’ constituency recorded a turnout of 48.20%, while the graduate constituency registered 32%, according to polling figures released at 2 pm. In Agra district, turnout stood at 37.20% for the teachers’ constituency and 28.40% for the graduate constituency. Farrukhabad recorded the highest turnout in the teachers’ constituency at 58.82%, followed by Kannauj at 58.35% and Auraiya at 56.75%. In the graduate constituency, Kannauj led with 38.97%, followed by Farrukhabad at 37.42% and Kasganj at 35.54%. The teachers’ constituency also recorded a turnout of 55.60% in Mainpuri, 52.52% in Kasganj and 52.23% in Firozabad. In the graduate constituency, turnout stood at 34.30% in Mainpuri, 33.87% in Firozabad and 32% in Etah.