Authorities working to ensure memorable polling experience, says Gautam Buddh Nagar DM

Ahead of the commencement of polling for the first phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, Gautam Buddh Nagar District Magistrate Suhas LY on Thursday morning took stock of the arrangements at the polling stations in Noida. He said that authorities are working overtime to make poling for the people a memorable experience.

"I urge citizens to come out to vote today. Our aspiration is that we achieve 90 per cent of voter turnout here. To make polling a memorable experience we have established model polling booths," he said.

Assuring polling in a peaceful environment at all the polling stations of the district, DM said, "Paramilitary forces have been deployed and videography is being done at all the polling booths. Authorities are keeping a special eye on all the sensitive areas."

Voting for the first phase of the Uttar Pradesh elections for 58 Assembly seats, covering 11 districts of the state, began on Thursday at 7 am.

The voting will conclude at 6 pm today.

The first phase will cover the 'Jat-dominant belt' of the western part of the state.

The districts going to poll today are Mathura, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahar, Hapur, Shamli, Baghpat, Aligarh, Agra and Gautam Buddha Nagar.

As many as 623 candidates are in the fray in the first phase of the assembly polls while nearly 2.27 crore voters will decide their fate.

Nearly 50,000 paramilitary personnel from 412 companies of central paramilitary forces have been deployed at different locations to maintain the law and order as the election campaign for the first phase of Assembly polls in western Uttar Pradesh ended on Tuesday evening.

The police have sealed the borders of the State and strict vigilance is underway to maintain peace in 58 Assembly constituencies for which polling is underway.

The 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly is scheduled to go to the polls in seven phases on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27, March 3, and 7. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

( With inputs from ANI )