Prayagraj : Amid elaborate security arrangements, the fate of 13 candidates contesting the Allahabad-Jhansi Graduate constituency election was sealed in ballot boxes on Friday as around 32.86% of the 1.18 lakh registered voters exercised their franchise at 152 polling stations in the district.
Voting remained sluggish in the initial hours, with only 2.85% turnout recorded between 8 am and 10 am. The pace picked up thereafter, with turnout reaching 9.54% by noon, 19.86% by 2 pm and 32.86% by 4 pm. To ensure smooth conduct of polling, the administration deployed 12 zonal magistrates and 50 sector magistrates across the district. More than 1,700 police personnel, including 12 ACPs, 40 SHOs and 100 sub-inspectors, were assigned election duty.
District magistrate and district election officer (Prayagraj) Manish Kumar Verma said polling was conducted peacefully. Political observers said the main contest in the constituency was between BJP candidate Ashok Kumar Rathore and SP nominee Maan Singh Yadav. Unauthorised persons were also barred from entering polling premises, officials said.
He directed officials to ensure that voters faced no inconvenience and instructed them to strictly enforce the ban on carrying mobile phones inside polling booths.