55.47 per cent polling for MLC elections in UP

As many as 70.78 per cent votes were cast for Agra Teachers' constituency, 73.48 for Bareilly-Moradabad, 73.94 for Gorakhpur-Faizabad, 58.99 for Lucknow Teachers seat, 62.60 for Meerut and 68.83 for Varanasi Teachers seat, they said. There are 199 candidates in the fray.

Polling stood at 55.47 per cent as voters exercised their franchise in the election for 11 seats of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council on Tuesday, the state election commission's office here said. Voting went on from 8 am to 5 pm. The results will be declared on December 3.

According to election officials, 41.56 per cent votes were cast for the Agra graduates constituency, 41.10 for Allahabad-Jhansi graduates constituency, 36.74 for Lucknow graduates seat, 42.86 for Meerut graduates seat and 39.33 for Varanasi graduates seat. As many as 70.78 per cent votes were cast for Agra Teachers' constituency, 73.48 for Bareilly-Moradabad, 73.94 for Gorakhpur-Faizabad, 58.99 for Lucknow Teachers seat, 62.60 for Meerut and 68.83 for Varanasi Teachers seat, they said.

There are 199 candidates in the fray. BJP, SP, Congress and several teachers' associations are contesting, while the BSP is not participating in the polls. The term of office of the 11 MLCs from these constituencies expired on May 6, they said.