UP election: Red roses for women casting vote in Baraut

Baraut: In an unique attempt to appreciate women coming out to cast their vote, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has asked its officials deployed at polling booths here to give a red rose to all the female voters.

"This is for the first time that we have got a rose," said one of the women voters.

As the first phase of Uttar Pradesh elections begins, it will see 1,17,65,768 women voters casting their vote across the state.

The election process will be held in 73 assembly constituencies spread across 15 districts of the state.

The most populous state of the country will today vote for 839 candidates at 26,823 polling stations.Elaborate security arrangements have been made for smooth polling, especially in sensitive areas of Shamli, Aligarh, Muzaffarnagar, Mathura, Bulandshahr and Agra.

The electoral battle in the state has grabbed all eyeballs, be it the electoral merger between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party or the infighting within the first family of this politically crucial state.