UP polls, 3rd phase: As it happened

Also Read: UP polls: Over 61 percent voter turnout recorded till 5 pm

Also Read: Cyclone of change in favour of BJP sweeping across UP: Prasad

61.16% voter turnout in the third phase of #UttarPradeshElection2017 till 5pm pic.twitter.com/uJxEJPfpll

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 19, 2017

55 percent voter turnout was recorded till 4 pm in the third phase of the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections on Sunday, the Election Commission (EC) officials said.

UP Polls: 55% voter turnout recorded till 4 pm, according to media reports.

51.5% voter turnout in the third phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2017 till 3pm

38.96% voter turnout in third phase of UP polls 2017

Dimple Yadav casts her vote in Saifai, says let's be progressive and think about the future

UP polls, phase III: Navneet Sehgal, Principal Secretary, Uttar Pradesh government casts his vote with his wife in Lucknow

#UPPolls2017: Navneet Sehgal, Principal Secretary,UP Govt casts his vote with his wife in Lucknow. pic.twitter.com/AZ528JiKKd

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 19, 2017

UP polls, phase III: Dimple Yadav casts her vote in Saifai, says, let's be progressive and think about the future

#UPPolls2017 Phase-3: Dimple Yadav casts her vote in Saifai, says, let's be progressive and think about the future. pic.twitter.com/wjPmZqEITm

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 19, 2017

Let Modi speak whatever he wants. Not Modi but Uttar Pradesh has adopted Samajwadi Party. Shivpal Singh Yadav will win by a large margin: Mulayam Singh Yadav

Developmental work has been done in Uttar Pradesh and Akhilesh will once again be the Chief Minister: Mulayam Singh Yadav

UP polls, phase III: 100-year-old Kaniz Fatima casts her vote at a polling booth in Sitapur

#UPPolls Phase-3: 100-year-old Kaniz Fatima casts her vote at a polling booth in Sitapur. pic.twitter.com/9r79NZZCyD

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 19, 2017

Mulayam Singh Yadav, accompanied by daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav, leaves after casting his vote in Saifai 

Mulayam Singh Yadav, accompanied by daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav, leaves after casting his vote in Saifai #uppolls2017 pic.twitter.com/Q8CvGjgeR5

— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 19, 2017

Akhilesh Yadav casts his vote 

24.19% voter turnout recorded till 11 am

UP polls, 3rd phase: 26.6% voting in Kannauj, 29% in Sitapur and 20.68% in Kanpur till 11 AM.

10.9 per cent votes have been cast in the first two hours of polling for the 69 Assembly constituencies that figure in the crucial phase-III of the staggered Uttar Pradesh elections.

"In the first two hours, 10.9 per cent votes have been cast," Office of UP Chief Electoral Officer said.

Like in the first two phases, in the third phase also BSP will be no.1 and will form the Govt with a majority: Mayawati after casting vote

Once again Samajwadi Party will be forming the Govt, in alliance with Congress: CM Akhilesh Yadav after casting vote in Saifai

Not only clear majority, BJP is winning by absolute majority in Uttar Pradesh: Rajnath Singh after casting vote in Lucknow

12% voting recorded in third phase of polling in Uttar Pradesh till 9 am

As the third phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections began on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to the voters to participate and come forward in large numbers to cast their votes.

"Today is the third phase of Uttar Pradesh elections. I request the voters to participate in the festival of democracy and vote in large number," Prime Minister Modi tweeted.

उत्तर प्रदेश में आज तीसरे चरण का मतदान है।मेरा अनुरोध है कि सभी मतदाता लोकतंत्र के इस उत्सव में हिस्सा लें और भारी मतदान करें।

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 19, 2017

Borders of districts have been put under surveillance and heavy deployment of forces for round the clock checking is made. 

Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the smooth functioning of the polling process.

Sixteen thousand 681 polling centers and 25 thousand 607 polling stations have been erected for polling.

There are 2 crore and 41 lakh voters, including over 1 crore 10 lakh women and 1028 third gender who will decide the political fate of 826 candidates including 105 women in the fray.

The districts going for polling in this phase are Farrukhabad, Hardoi, Kannauj, Mainpuri, Etawah, Kanpur, Kanpur Dehat, Auraiya, Lucknow, Unnao, Sitapur and Barabanki.

Polling parties have been sent to polling centers amid tight security.

The polling began at 7 a.m. and will continue till 5 in the evening. 

With over 826 candidates from 105 political parties contesting for 69 seats, polling began on Sunday morning for the crucial third phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections.