Updates: 8:00 pm: Voter turnout of 55.52 per cent recorded for 15 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, according to Election Commission.
6:40 pm: Nearly 51.49 per cent electorate exercised their franchise till 5 PM in the fifth phase of elections in UP.
In Amethi, 50.66 per cent polling has been recorded so far whereas in neighboring Sultanpur from where Rahul's cousin Varun is contesting, 53 per cent voters have cast their votes.
In Pratapgarh 48.6 per cent, while in Faizabad 53.4 per cent, Gonda 49.2 per cent, Kaushambi 50 per cent, Phulpur 48.5 per cent votes were cast. Allahabad recorded 51 per cent voter turnout whereas, Ambedkarnagar 56.6 per cent, Bahraich 53.2 per cent, Kaisarganj 53.4 per cent, Shravasti 51.2 per cent, Basti 54.02 per cent, Sant Kabir Nagar 51.20 and Bhadohi 49 per cent.
Highest turnout was reported from Basti with 54.02 per cent votes.
4:35 pm: 43.15 per cent polling registered till 3 pm in 15 constituencies of Uttar Pradesh.
3:10 pm: BJP leader Varun Gandhi who is contesting from Sultanpur got into a spat with security official. He asked the security officials to do their work.
2:43 pm: Rahul Gandhi did not violate any guideline in Amthi, say Election Commission sources. District Magistrate told the EC that Rahul was travelling with security vehicles only.
2:40 pm: The EC seeks report on Rahul travelling in Amethi with large convoy.
1:48 pm: 32.08 per cent voter turnout till 1 pm. The voting percentage in Amethi was 37.50 per cent, Sultanpur 35.60, Pratapgarh 33.60, Faizabad 38, Gonda 33.3, Kaushambi 35.6, Phulpur 33.4, Allahabad 33.6, Ambedkarnagar 36.8, Bahraich 38, Kaisarganj 37.8, Shravasti 35.7, Basti 41.26, Sant Kabir Nagar 36 and Bhadohi 35.8.
1:43 pm: PRO of Congress campaigner Priyanka Gandhi, Preeti Sahay, asked to leave Amethi constituency by the District Returning Officer.
1:21 pm: AAP leader Kumar takes a jibe at Rahul Gandhi says, " The very fact that Rahul Gandhi came early morning to Amethi on the polling day, shows his nervousness. He is losing the contest."
He adds, "Wherever we got information of booth capturing, we have immediately conveyed it to the Election Commission."
12:27 pm: UP Election Commissioner Umesh Sinha says, "We have officers and observers at every booth. It is not possible that booth capturing is being done. We will still look into complains."
12:10 pm: Sub Divisional Magistrate of Amethi RD Ram says, "Aam Aadmi Party is spreading rumours to get media attention. All the booths they have checked after complains from AAP have been found to be functioning normally."
11:47 am: 25 per cent voting recorded till 11 am. The voting percentage in Amethi was 27.80 per cent, Sultanpur 25.80, Pratapgarh 20.60, Faizabad 29.20, Gonda 22.44, Kaushambi 24, Phulpur 21.60, Allahabad 24.20, Ambedkarnagar 25.40, Bahraich 27.80, Kaisarganj 25.40, Shravasti 23.80, Basti 28.40, Sant Kabir Nagar 25.40 and Bhadohi 25.80.
11:29 am: Rahul Gandhi objects to lotus symbol at a polling booth in Amethi, but did not register complaint with the Election Commission.
11:17 am: Over 11 per cent voters exercised their franchise till 9 am. While Amethi recorded 10 per cent polling in the first two hours, Sultanpur and Pratapgarh recorded 12.6 and 11.76 polling respectively. Faizabad witnessed 12.2 per cent voter turnout, Gonda 13.16, Bahraich 12.4, Shravasti 8.92, Phoolpur 10.1, Ambedkarnagar 12, Basti 14.4, Sant Kabir Nagar 10.6 , Bhadohi 11.60, Kaushambi 10.8, Allahabad 10.34 and Kaisarganj 9.8.
11:04 am: AAP complaints against Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, alleging that he is travelling around in Amethi with a large convoy, say EC sources.
10:04 am: In Varun Gandhi's constituency Sultanpur, 13 per cent voter turnout till 9 am.
9:32 am: Congress candidate Amita Singh defends Rahul's visit to Amethi on the polling day. She says, "Rahul has every right to be in his constituency."
8:57 am: Former cricketer Mohammad Kaif, who is the Congress candidate from Phulpur says, "It was an honour that I was given a ticket by Congress from Jawaharlal Nehru's constituency . This is a place where my family is and I am happy to fight for the Congress from here."
7:46 am: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi takes a jibe at BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi says, "People's thoughts and actions are low, not their castes."
7:20 am: Aam Aadmi Party leader Kumar Vishwas says, "I did everything for local people. There is no challenge for me."
Lucknow: Polling for 15 seats in the crucial fifth phase of Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh, to decide the fate of 243 candidates, including two scions of Nehru-Gandhi family, Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi and BJP national secretary Varun Gandhi started peacefully on Wednesday morning.
"The polling has started peacefully at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm", UP Chief Electoral Officer Umesh Sinha said.
This phase is also crucial for the Congress as of 15 seats spread over 17 districts, seven were won by the party in 2009 polls while five seats went to the BSP and the SP had won three.
The BJP which could not open account in these 15 seats, this time is confident of turning the tide in its favour.
The campaigning was marked by mighty show by both the Congress and BJP, with Rahul's sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra coming to the fore for her brother in Amethi, even as BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi entered the Congress scion's turf to counter the family effect.
Seats where polling is going on included Amethi, Sultanpur, Pratapgarh, Faizabad, Gonda, Bahraich, Shravasti, Phulpur, Ambedkarnagar, Basti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Bhadohi, Kaushambi, Allahabad and Kaisarganj.
More than 2.6 crore electorate, including 1.37 crore male and 1.19 crore female are expected to exercise their franchise in the this phase.
While maximum number of 34 candidates are in fray from Amethi, minimum of 10 candidates are contesting from Bahraich constituency.
Besides grandsons of former PM Indira Gandhi - Rahul and Varun contesting from adjacent Amethi and Sultanpur seats, this phase would also decide fate of a number of stalwarts, including Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma (Gonda) and cricketer-turned-politician Mohammad Kaif (Phulpur).
Congress state president Nirmal Khatri (Faizabad), poet-turned-politician Kumar Vishwas, and "bahu" of tinsel town and BJP Rajya Sabha member Smriti Irani, are also in the fray.
In Amethi, while Vishwas is banking on the power of "aam aadmi", Irani is trying to cash in on Modi wave and by highlighting "lack of development" in Rahul's 10-year as MP.
As Congress star campaigner Priyanka Gandhi campaigned extensively for her brother Rahul - holding meetings and roadshow - the Congress Vice-President himself undertook a whirlwind tour of his constituency and attempted to strike an emotional chord with the electorate.
In Gonda, Beni Prasad Verma is seeking a second term from Gonda. The Congress leader, who has at times embarassed his own party leaders with his remarks, is said to be facing a stiff resistance from BJP and SP candidates.
Congress' Nirmal Khatri will also face an uphill task to retain Faizabad.
BJP's Varun Gandhi has shifted his base from Pilibhit, from where he was elected last time, to Sultanpur which is adjacent to his cousin Rahul's Amethi constituency.
The Congress has pitted Amita Singh, wife of sitting Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, in Sultanpur against Varun.
India's former international cricketer, Mohammad Kaif will not find it easy making his Lok Sabha debut from Phulpur constituency.
In 2009 Lok Sabha polls there was 43.37 per cent polling while in 2012 Assembly polls the percentage was 67.33.
(With additional information from PTI)
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