25 percent voter turnout till noon in fourth phase of UP polls (Lead: 4th phase)

Lucknow, Feb 19 (ANI): Over 25 percent voters exercised their franchise on Sunday, in the fourth phase of Uttar Pradesh polls till noon.

More than 1.74 crore voters will be casting their votes in Hardoi, Unnao, Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Farukkhabad, CSM Nagar, Kannauj, Banda, Chitrakoot, Fatehpur and Pratapgarh.

Today's polling would decide the fate of several stalwarts and heavyweights including Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi, Congress party legislative leader Pramod Tiwari, BJP National vice president Kalraj Mishra and BSP Minster Nakul Dubey.

This phase would also test the luck of Louis Khurshid, wife of Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid from Farukkhabad Sadar seat.

The Election commission has made elaborate arrangements for this phase also.

Besides state police force, PAC and central Paramilitary forces have been deployed in the election areas. Strict vigilance is being kept in all eleven district borders and check posts.

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

A new 403-member state assembly will be elected in March. The poll results will broadly indicate trends for the 2014 general elections. (ANI)