Stage set for second phase of UP civic polls in 25 districts

Lucknow, Nov 25: The stage is set for the crucial second phase of polling to urban local bodies in 25 districts in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday amid tight security arrangements.

More than 80,000 security personnel, including 40 companies of central paramilitary forces and 65 companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) have been deployed for smooth conduct of polling that would commence at 0730 hrs and conclude at 1700 hrs. This time, the authorities would also be using more than 80 drone cameras, 30 in Lucknow alone, to monitor the situation at the polling booths. All liquor shops have been shutdown till the end of voting while the borders of the districts going to polls on Sunday have been sealed.  In this phase, at stake would be prestigious mayoral posts in Varanasi, which is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's parliamentary constituencies, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's constituency Lucknow, and Union minister V K Singh’s Ghaziabad constituency, and the Sangam city of Allahabad. Mr Singh will be visiting Lucknow on Sunday to cast his vote. UNI