The three states that went to the polls -- Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Goa -- all recorded an over 60 per cent turnout in the second phase of Assembly elections on Monday.
Goa led the way with 75.29% votes being cast in the state that has 40 seats till 5 pm, officials said.
An average voter turnout of 60.44 per cent was recorded till 5 pm on Monday in Uttar Pradesh as polling for the second phase of the state assembly elections picked up pace after a slow start.
The first two hours of polling saw few voters reaching polling booths owing to fog and cold conditions.
But as the day progressed, more and more voters stepped out of their homes to cast their votes.
Meanwhile, long queues of voters were seen outside polling booths in Uttarakhand during polling to the 70 assembly seats spread over 13 districts.
By 5 pm, 59.37% per cent polling was recorded in the state.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, former chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, Aam Aadmi Party's chief ministerial candidate Col (retd) Ajay Kothiyal, Leader of Opposition in the fourth assembly Pritam Singh, Yoga Guru Ramdev, and Niranjani Akhara Mahamandaleshwar Kailashanand Brahmachari were among the first to cast their votes.
Indian quick Mohammed Shami (right) cast his vote during the second phase of the UP Assembly elections in his native district of Amroha.
The voting carries on smoothly at Uttarakhand's highest polling booth, at an altitude of 10870 feet in the Gangotri constituency. At 5 pm, the state has recorded a 59.37% turnout.
People at Narau and Milaal Nangla villages in Shekhupur assembly constituency in UP's Badaun district on Monday initially refused to cast their votes in the second phase of the UP Assembly elections as their complaints about contaminated water supply had not been addressed. Election Commission officials said they relented later.
The villagers claim that there have been deaths and many are battling serious ailments because their concerns have been neglected till now.
Badaun Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) BP Sharma told ANI that his administration had made a plan to find a solution.
"Even before this call by a few villagers, we spoke to them...For this, a plan has been chalked out that has been prepared by the municipal council. We have also spoken to the villagers that we are making full efforts by engaging higher officials from the government level to solve this problem.
"We are trying that the villagers should exercise their voting rights. Efforts are still going on. Although the voting has been started, not all the eligible people have voted yet," Sharma added.
A 55-year-old returning officer posted on election duty in Nakur assembly constituency died following a cardiac arrest, a senior official said on Monday. District Election Officer of Saharanpur Akhilesh Singh told PTI that the health of returning officer Rashid Ali, who was posted at a polling booth in Dhikka Tapri village, deteriorated suddenly on Sunday night. Ali was rushed to a private hospital in Saharanpur where he died around 1.30 am, the DEO said.
Former Uttar Pradesh CM Maywati on Monday said her Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is contesting the ongoing assembly polls with "full might" in order to usher in 'achche din' of governance in the state like it had done in 2007.
I wanted to pay obeisance at Shri Devi Talab Mandir but the police administration asked me to go back by helicopter. This is the state of affair of the Punjab government. But I will come back to pay obeisance at the temple. For a ‘New Bharat”, we need a “nawa Punjab’ (new Punjab) to be made. New Punjab will have no place for corruption and mafia raaj: PM Narendra Modi
I wanted to offer prayers at Tripurmalini Devi Shaktipeeth after this event but the adminstration & police said they will not be able to make the arrangements. This is the situation of govt here. But I will surely offer prayers at Shaktipeeth soon: PM Modi in Jalandhar pic.twitter.com/2klPl4XJhn
— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2022
Arvind Kejriwal said Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi has been having nightmares about him and is unable to sleep these days. Blaming corruption for the inflow of drugs into the state, the AAP leader asserted it will stop once his party comes to power.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Monday claimed that the AAP's rival parties in Punjab are targeting him and its chief ministerial candidate Bhagwant Mann as they do not want the state to have an honest government. The national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party said the only fault of his party and its leaders is that they talk about improving the condition of schools and hospitals in Punjab, giving jobs to people and ensuring justice in sacrilege cases.
Goa: 60.18 per cent
Uttar Pradesh: 51.93 per cent
Uttarakhand: 49.24 per cent
Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Jairam Ramesh, former CM Okram Ibobi Singh, and Kanhaiya Kumar are among the party's 30 start campaigners for Manipur Assembly elections pic.twitter.com/MsL2qbs5Cy
— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2022
Unhappy over a road not being constructed, residents of Jaggi Bagwan and Chilaund villages in Uttarakhand's Kedarnath assembly constituency stayed away from voting in the assembly elections on Monday.
I was in Una at 11 am but suddenly permission to fly (to Hoshiarpur) was denied due to PM Modi's movement, it was declared a no-fly zone. I was not able to attend Rahul Gandhi's rally in Hoshiarpur. I had permission to land: Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi
So far, the highest turnout of 54 per cent was reported in Sankhalim (North Goa) Assembly segment, from where Chief Minister and BJP leader Pramod Sawant is contesting. Besides, Sanguem constituency in South Goa recorded 53.91 per cent polling till 1 pm, while Valpoi Assembly segment reported a low turnout of 39 per cent, as per official figures.
During SP, BSP-supported Congress rule, any Tom, Dick & Harry would enter India from Pakistan & behead our jawans. Govt didn't have courage to do anything. On the other hand, after Pulwama attack, Modi Ji conducted an airstrike across the border: Union Home Minister Amit Shah
PM Narendra Modi said in every speech that he'll deposit Rs 15 lakh in bank accounts, will give employment to 2 crore youth. Did anyone get it? Why does he not speak on corruption or employment? He did demonetization, imposed GST. Who got benefitted?: Rahul Gandhi
We have stick of development in one hand and lever of bulldozer against mafia on the other, says Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath in Mainpuri
Voter turnout till 1 pm |#GoaElections2022 - 44.63%
— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2022
Phase 2 of #UttarPradeshElections - 39.07%#UttarakhandElections2022 - 35.21% pic.twitter.com/x3ETCPMnuH
No one has been able to level allegations of corruption against any minister of the BJP govt at the Centre. We want to root out corruption by bringing change in the system: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh during an election rally in Manipur
#WATCH | "...Whatever you grow in food park, be it potato chips or tomato ketchup, everything can be manufactured by directly transferring your produce from farms to food processing unit," says Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at a 'Navi Soch Nava Punjab' rally, in Hoshiarpur, Punjab pic.twitter.com/4fe7Iw9YRF
— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2022
Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA Raghvendra Singh defended his hate speech, which has gone viral. In a video, he can be heard saying that if he was re-elected, Muslims would switch from skull caps to 'tilak'.
PM Narendra Modi took a swipe at the Samajwadi Party, saying they had distributed areas among family members for 'loot' during their rule in the state.
Law against triple talaq has saved thousands of Muslim women in Uttar Pradesh, says PM Narendra Modi at Kanpur Dehat rally.
PM Narendra Modi takes jibe at Samajwadi Party at Kanpur rally, says can those who discard alliance partners in elections do any good for people.
PM Narendra Modi at Kanpur rally derides TMC for saying that the party intends to 'divide' Hindu votes in Goa.
Constitution expert and former Lok Sabha secretary general P D T Achary told PTI that both the Centre and the states are empowered to bring such a law as issues like marriage, divorce, inheritance and property rights come under the Concurrent List of the Constitution. (READ FULL STORY HERE)
This is wrong. CM Yogi Adityanath gives a lot of wrong statements, this is one of them: Tanzeem Fatima, wife of imprisoned SP candidate for Rampur, Azam Khan.
It's a seat that veteran Goa politician and six-time chief minister Pratapsingh Rane represented for nearly five decades as a Congress MLA. While the 83-year-old senior-most politician of Goa is not contesting the Assembly elections this time, the BJP has fielded his daughter-in-law Deviya Rane from Poriem. (READ FULL STORY HERE)
Latching on to the news channel's claim, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson Raghav Chadha said it has made it clear that the votes cast for the Congress will go to the BJP's kitty once again. (READ FULL STORY HERE)
Voter turnout till 11 am |#GoaElections2022 - 26.63%#UttarPradeshElections - 23.03%#UttarakhandElections2022 - 18.97% pic.twitter.com/KhOwqYofO5
— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2022
I would then request Yogi Ji only with folded hands to get Azam Sahab out of the jail. We'll be grateful. What is he talking about, framing Azam Sahab for robbery with no shame? He has made a joke out of politics, said Samajwadi Party leader Imran Masood, in Saharanpur.
He (UP CM Yogi Adityanath) has said it rightly so, he just made a mistake. 80% people are with us (Samajwadi Party) & 20% with them (BJP): SP leader Imran Masood, in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh pic.twitter.com/UAuNKyzRGQ
— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2022
People are voting enthusiastically to defeat corruption, we will witness sea-change; let's wait for March 10 results: Aam Aadmi Party CM candidate Amit Palekar.
Congress candidate from Calangute, Michael Lobo and his wife Delilah Lobo cast their vote at a polling booth in the constituency.#GoaElection2022 pic.twitter.com/jDKjr57Wig
— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2022
Goa | Aam Aadmi Party CM candidate Amit Palekar along with his mother casts his vote in Assembly elections, says, "This is our moment to bring a change". pic.twitter.com/a6xKeXaDSt
— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2022
Colonel Ajay Kothiyal (retd), AAP CM candidate for #UttarakhandElections2022 casts his vote at a polling booth in Uttarkashi. pic.twitter.com/loMJolMOV2
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) February 14, 2022
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday claimed the BJP will win more than 22 seats in the 40-member state Assembly, the polling for which is currently underway, and said he will continue to hold the top post if his party forms government in the coastal state. (READ FULL STORY HERE)
Uttarakhand Cabinet Minister Satpal Maharaj casts his vote for #UttarakhandElections2022 in Chaubattakhal assembly constituency, Pauri Garhwal pic.twitter.com/J0WnUyNbzc
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) February 14, 2022
Former Union Education Minister & Former Uttarakhand Chief Minister, Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, casts his vote for #UttarakhandElections2022 in Dehradun pic.twitter.com/XAnXepqXE4
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) February 14, 2022
He also criticized the previous governments for using corrupt practices and emptying state government treasuries during their tenures and said that the ration being received by the poor today used to be consumed by the goons of Samajwadi Party earlier. (READ FULL STORY HERE)
Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane casts his vote at booth number 42, GPS Vithalapur Karapur Primary School in Maem Assembly constituency, for #GoaElections2022 pic.twitter.com/XGOPUtz5UU
— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2022
Voter turnout till 9 am |#GoaElections2022 - 11.04%#UttarPradeshElections - 9.45%#UttarakhandElections2022 - 5.15% pic.twitter.com/1SQldgxc1I
— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2022
I'm in Cotombi Village &have cast my vote. I appeal to public to come out in huge numbers to vote. BJP govt's work is in front of everyone. Utpal Parrikar (independent) & Michael Lobo (Congress) won't win, as BJP is coming with a majority: Goa CM Pramod Sawant#GoaElections2022 pic.twitter.com/XguhYFQLja
— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2022
I can say confidently that BJP is going to return to power in Uttar Pradesh with 300 plus seats. Trends for the first phase of election show that people have voted for BJP. Today in the second phase people will bless BJP again on the basis of work that has been done: Jitin Prasada.
People voting not for constituency but for Goa. When we talk about Goa, we talk about boys&girls who are unemployed, about mining being closed for last 10 yrs, about problems in tourism industry. People are going to vote for future: Congress candidate from Calangute, Michael Lobo pic.twitter.com/t8CLQz2zff
— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2022
All our schemes have provided a shield for the people of Uttarakhand; the public knows very well who can work for the development of the state. I'm sure that the Uttarakhand public will bring BJP on 60+ seats, Pushkar Singh Dhami said in Khatima after casting his vote.
Goan starts queuing up at voting booths to exercise their voting right in Goa state assembly elections. @NewIndianXpress @TheMornStandard pic.twitter.com/g5JdM1kkR7
— Sudhir Suryawanshi (@ss_suryawanshi) February 14, 2022
Goa CM Pramod Sawant and his wife Sulakshana Sawant offer prayers at Shree Rudreshwar Devasthan, Harvalem. Voting for #GoaElections2022 is underway. pic.twitter.com/BTgqnCGIyh
— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2022
Utpal Parrikar, son of former Goa CM late Manohar Parrikar visits polling booths in Panaji. He is contesting as an independent candidate in the constituency.#GoaElections2022 pic.twitter.com/7sxzdtLHmN
— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2022
#GoaElections2022 Total 301 candidates in the fray for 40 seats of Goa state assembly elections while 11.64 lakh voters will exercise their voting right on #ValentinesDay in Goa. @NewIndianXpress @TheMornStandard pic.twitter.com/4BR2FPybfe
— Sudhir Suryawanshi (@ss_suryawanshi) February 14, 2022
Polling parties in #Uttarakhand brave weather, tough terrain to perform poll duties in the state today.
— The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) February 14, 2022
@VineetTNIE #ElectionsWithTNIE #UttarakhandElections2022 pic.twitter.com/NwXeV85zP8
Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi stands in a queue at a polling booth in Rampur to cast his vote for the second phase of #UttarPradeshElections2022 pic.twitter.com/BK2ncTY1Pm
— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) February 14, 2022
Five years after Chandrashekhar Azad, a young firebrand Dalit leader, announced his arrival in the political theatre of Uttar Pradesh as ‘The Great Chamar’, the buzz around his party — Azad Samaj Party — and the organisation — Bhim Army — seems to have fizzled out. The fight for political dominance in this region, which has a sizeable presence of SC voters, is a two-way contest between BSP and BJP. (READ FULL STORY HERE)
In an interview with The New Indian Express, Gandhi, who is an MP from Pilibhit Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh, rejected his party’s pitch to make it an 80% versus 20% election. “It would be immoral to look at any voter on the basis of religion or caste. I consider the voter the biggest stakeholder - either you include him in your decisions or else he will not include you in his decisions." (READ FULL STORY HERE)
Himachal Pradesh Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar casts his votes at polling booth number 7 of Vasco da Gama Assembly Constituency#GoaElections2022 pic.twitter.com/VOkaATQMns
— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2022
Goa Governor PS Sreedharan Pillai and his wife Reetha Sreedharan cast their votes at polling booth number 15 of Taleigao Assembly Constituency#GoaElections2022 pic.twitter.com/IGhPWBS04O
— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2022
????? ?????? ???????? ????? ?? ????? ??? ?? ??? ?? ?? ????????? ?? ???? ?? ??? ???????? ????? ?? ??? ?????? ??? ??? ???????? ?? ???? ????? ?? ?? ?? ???????? ?? ?? ???? ????? ?? ??????? ???? ?? ????? ?? ??? ??????? ?????? ??? ????- ???? ?????, ??? ???? ??? ???!
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 14, 2022
Over 2,000 illegal firearms and 165 kg of explosives have also been recovered while preventive action taken against 4.40 lakh people who are likely to disrupt peace during the polls, the Uttar Pradesh Police said. (READ FULL STORY HERE)
Goa has so far witnessed shifting of power largely between the Congress and the BJP, but poll observers feel that after the February 14 Assembly elections, smaller parties and new entrants are likely to play a crucial role in government formation. (READ FULL STORY HERE)