Gautam Buddh Nagar: Electors in rural areas outnumber those in urban

Gautam Buddh Nagar witnessed 62.7 per cent voter turnout for the Lok Sabha election Thursday, with electors in rural areas outnumbering those in urban areas, said officials. Voting which began at 7 am and continued till 6 pm across 2,397 polling stations in the constituency of 22.97 lakh voters, saw an improvement in poll percentage over the previous polls, they said.

Union minister Mahesh Sharma is seeking reelection as a BJP candidate from Gautam Buddh Ngar, citing development work. The Congress is hoping a young Arvind Kumar Singh regain the seat it had lost in the 1980s, while the BSP's Satveer Nagar, a rural favourite, is being backed by the Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Lok Dal and the Aam Aadmi Party as the coalition candidate.

There are 13 candidates including two independent nominees in the fray. Gautam Buddh Nagar comprises Noida, Jewar, Dadri, Khurja and Sikandrabad assembly segments, with the latter two being in Bulandshahr district, they said. Except Noida, other segments are predominantly rural areas. "By the end of voting at 6 pm, Noida witnessed a turnout of 53.6 per cent, Dadri 64.6 per cent, Jewar 68.4 per cent, Khurja 64 per cent, Sikandrabad 62.5 per cent," said officials .

"The overall voter turnout across the constituency was registered at 62.7 per cent," said an official statement. Gautam Buddh Nagar had witnessed a turnout of 60 per cent in 2014 and an abysmal 48 per cent in 2009 Lok Sabha polls, according to Election Commission statistics. The turnout in Noida and Greater Noida was lower than the national average of 66 per cent in 2014 and 58 per cent in 2009. Over 10,000 security personnel including those from the police, the Provincial Armed Constabulary and paramilitary forces were deployed in the constituency, with drone cameras also used for surveillance, the officials said. Total male voters are 12.63 lakh, female 10.34 lakh and 133 others, while there were 13,183 first-time voters.

(With inputs from agencies.)