Brisk voting in UP; row over Congress' Varanasi candidate

A controversy broke out in Varanasi when Ajay Rai, Congress candidate, walked into a polling station to vote with the party symbol tucked on his kurta.

Election law bans the use of any party symbol within 100 metres of the poll station. Officials in the district say the Congress candidate had indeed violated the law.

He was accompanied by his wife and he spoke to reporters within 10 metres of the polling station, which again is a breach of law.

Senior district officials told IANS that the returning officer has sought video footage and that action would follow soon.

At Dumariyaganj, voting till 9 a.m. was 11.56 percent, Maharajganj 11.60 percent, Gorakhpur 11.80 percent and 10.60 percent in Kushinagar.