UP elections underway, 28.35 percent polling recorded in first six hours(Update)

Lucknow, Feb 8 (ANI): A total of 28.35 percent voters had cast their votes in first six hours of polling of the first phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls that will decide the fate of two ministers, 31 MLAs and 15 former ministers.

The first phase of polling in 55 assembly seats is spread over 10 districts from Awadh to the eastern parts of the state.

The voter turnout remained low in the early hours of polling today due to rainfall. However, with an improvement in the weather conditions, the polling graph has gradually gone up.

Polling for the first phase of the state assembly polls for 55 seats in 10 districts began at 7 a.m. The fate of 862 candidates across 18,108 polling stations will be decided in this phase. The candidates include 796 men, 65 women and one eunuch.

More than 1.70 lakh electorate would cast their votes in this phase of polling to be held in Sitapur, Barabanki, Faizabad, Ambedkar Nagar, Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Gonda, Siddharth Nagar and Basti districts.

The polls in Uttar Pradesh are being viewed as an opportunity for major parties to re-establish their foothold in the country's fifth largest and most populous state.

Polls in Uttar Pradesh will be conducted between February 8 and March 3. The counting of votes will take place on March 6.

The poll results will broadly indicate trends for the 2014 general elections. (ANI)