Security beefed up ahead of last phase of UP polls

Lucknow, Mar 2 (ANI): With the stage now set for the seventh and last phase of the high voltage Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, the district administration here has beefed up security at various polling centers.

Extra precautions have been taken in sensitive areas falling under Bareilly, Moradabad, Bijnore, Badaun and Rampur districts. About 770 companies of both central para military force and provincial armed constabulary have been deployed.

The international border with Nepal and the interstate border with Uttarakhand has been sealed.

Polling for the last phase of Uttar Pradesh assembly polls for 60 seats in 10 districts would be held on Saturday. The fate of 962 candidates, including 100 women, will be decided in this phase.

Over one crore 82 lakh people will cast their votes in this phase of polling in Bijnor, Rampur, Amroha, Bareilly, Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur and Lakhimpur districts.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP) have fielded their nominees in all segments, while the Congress has left nine seats to its poll ally Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD).

Left Parties the CPI and the CPI-M have also fielded their nominees in six segments.

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

The first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth phases of polling occurred on February 8, 11, 15, 19, 23, 28 respectively.

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