Voters in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddha Nagar constituencies in the NCR, on Friday exercised their franchise in the second phaw of Lok Sabha polls amid tight security.

Among the Lok Sabha constituencies of Uttar Pradesh that went to polls on Friday along with Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddha Nagar were Amroha, Meerut, Baghpat, Aligarh, Mathura and Bulandshahr seats.

The voting that started on a brisk note turned dull in the afternoon due to heatwave conditions.

Polling started at 7 am and concluded at 6 pm in the eight Lok Sabha seats in the state that went to polls today.

According to the data released by the Election Commission of India (ECI), Uttar Pradesh registered a voter turnout of 52.74 per cent till 5 pm.

Till 5 pm, a voter turnout of 48.21 per cent was registered in Ghaziabad, while Gautam Buddha Nagar saw a voter turnout of 51.66 per cent.

No untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the state during the polling in which over 1.67 crore voters participated.

However, scuffles between the voters and security personnel were reported from Meerut, Noida and Ghaziabad where the people wanted to take their mobile phones inside the polling booths.

Earlier in the day, BJP leader Atul Garg, a candidate from Ghaziabad Lok Sabha seat, expressed happiness saying voting is an opportunity to serve the nation. “I have cast my vote today. I am feeling very good. I will visit the constituency now. To vote is an opportunity to serve the nation,” Garg told a news agency.

The Ghaziabad Lok Sabha seat witnessed a triangular contest. BJP’s candidate Atul Garg is in the electoral fray against INDIA bloc candidate and Congress leader Dolly Sharma, while the BSP has fielded Nand Kishore Pundir.

The Gautam Buddha Nagar Lok Sabha seat also witnessed a triangular fight between the BJP, SP and BSP. The constituency comprises five Vidhan Sabha constituencies – Noida, Jewar, Dadri, Sikandrabad, and Khurja.

The BJP fielded sitting MP Mahesh Sharma for the third time in a row from the seat. He is pitted against INDIA bloc candidate Mahendra Singh Nagar from the SP while the BSP, which is fighting the polls alone, fielded Rajendra Singh Solanki.

On the day of voting in the Gautam Budh Nagar parliamentary constituency, BJP candidate Mahesh Sharma said, “The people of the state and the nation have made up their minds to make Narendra Modi ji the PM for the third time…”

Meanwhile, former Indian cricketer Madan Lal reached Noida to cast his vote at Sector 26 NS Public School to exercise his voting rights. Madan Lal was also the member of India’s 1983 World Cup-winning team.

After casting his vote, the former Indian cricketer said, “This is a big day for democracy. People must go out and vote because if you don’t, you have no right to criticise any party… The scope of sports in the country is growing, and not just cricket, the government must focus on all sports to encourage young talent…”

In the second phase elections, a total of 91 candidates from UP were in the fray.

A maximum of 15 candidates each were trying their luck in Gautam Buddha Nagar and Mathura seats. Six candidates were trying their electoral fortunes in Bulandshahr. In Amroha, 12 candidates were in the fray, while in Meerut eight, Baghpat seven and 14 each in Ghaziabad and Aligarh.

In this phase, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed election meetings in Meerut and Aligarh and held a roadshow in Ghaziabad.

Campaigning for the second phase of polling in eight Lok Sabha constituencies of Uttar Pradesh came to an end at 5 PM on Wednesday.