Lucknow: An estimated 49 per cent votes were polled for Lucknow Municipal Corporation and eight Nagar Panchayats in the first round of urban local body elections in Uttar Pradesh which passed off by and large peacefully.
"Till 5PM, 45 per cent votes were polled and it is expected that the poll percentage will be around 49 to 50 per cent as polling continued at places," state Election Commissioner S K Agarwal told reporters.
This is the first major electoral exercise since Samajwadi Party returned to power in the state winning assembly polls 100 days ago.
However, the urban civic body poll is for all practical purposes a direct battle between Congress and BJP as SP is not participating in it and BSP said it would not allow its workers to use party symbol in the contest.
He said polling was by and large peaceful, fair and transparent.
In sporadic incidents of violence, two groups clashed at a polling centre in Telibagh area over alleged booth capturing.
Agarwal said there was a dispute between two groups at Kharika polling centre.
Taking a serious note of the clash, the State Election Commission has ordered suspension of four officers, including a deputy superintendent of police.
PTI
