New Delhi, February 21
Barring a few minor incidents the final phase of Assembly elections in UP and Manipur for 166 seats and 20 seats, respectively, passed off peacefully today, the Election Commission said.

Polling for the byelections in the six Lok Sabha constituencies, including Kanakpura from where former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda is contesting and in seven Assembly constituencies, including Yamunanagar in Haryana went off peacefully.

While 55 per cent polling was recorded in UP, 75 to 80 per cent polling was registered in Manipur, Election Commission spokesperson A.N. Jha told newspersons here this evening.

“A few poll-related incidents were reported from UP, including a shootout incident near a polling booth in the Kolasla Assembly constituency in which one person was killed. But polling was not affected due to these incidents,” Mr Jha claimed.

He said there were also some complaints about the non-functioning of EVMs in some polling stations but those machines were immediately changed to the satisfaction of one and all.

While 60 per cent polling was registered in the Kaliabor (Assam) Lok Sabha constituency, 55 per cent in Kanakpura (Karnataka), 50 to 55 per cent in Guna (Madhya Pradesh), 50 to 58 per cent in Tripura (West) and 50 per cent in Mirzapur, he said.

In the Assembly byelections, 50 per cent polling was recorded in Mahuva, 47 per cent in Rajkot II, from Gujarat Chief Minister is contesting, 35 per cent in Sayajiganj, 50 per cent in Arvi (Maharashtra), 48 per cent in Ajmer (Rajasthan) and 60 per cent in Andipatti (Tamil Nadu), where former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK supremo J.Jayalalithaa is contesting.

In the last phase of elections the electoral fortunes of 2,500 candidates, including Chief Minister Rajnath Singh, former Chief Minister Mayawati, Speaker Kesrinath Tripathi, senior Congress leader Pramod Tiwari in UP and the longest serving Chief Minister of Manipur Rishang Keishang have been sealed.