An estimated 46 per cent of the electorate exercised their franchise in the fifth phase of Assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, the Election Commission said.

Polling was held in 57 Assembly constituencies spread over nine districts amid tight security.

There was no report of any untoward incident, election office sources said.

Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajnath Singh cast his vote at the PWD office polling booth while Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati exercised her franchise at Sadar in the state capital.

Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee could not come to the state capital from New Delhi to cast his vote due to ill health.

Over 1.59 crore voters are likely to decide the fate of 850 candidates, including ministers Naresh Agarwal, Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya and Rajaram Pandey as also opposition leader Lalji Tandon, Congress leader Pramod Tiwari and BSP legislative party leader Swami Prasad Maurya.

Officials said about 15,692 polling stations and 9,170 polling centres have been set up for the polls. As many as 65,700 personnel of Central Paramilitary Forces had been deployed on poll duty to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections.

The districts going to polls included Lucknow, Rae Bareli, Sultanpur, Pratapgarh, Fetehpur, Hardoi, Unnao, Banda and Chitrakoot.