In Uttar Pradesh, polls are going on smoothly in 12 Lok Sabha constituencies today. Polling which picked up with fast pace in the morning in most of the rural areas, has shown some sluggishness with growing temperature in the noon.

However brisk polling is being reported from Mathura where the contest is multi-cornered. The security arrangements are elaborate and no untoward incident has been reported from anywhere so far, barring some EVM snags which were resolved immediately.

The Lok Sabha constituencies which are at stake in this phase of elections include Agra, Mainpuri, Etah, Mathura, Etawah, Fatehpur Sikri, Kannauj, Hardoi, Firozabad, Hathras, Farrukhaabad and Akbarpur.

The main contenders in this phase are Mulayam Singh Yadav, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, Amar Singh, Hema Malini, and Jayant Chaudhary.

Our correspondent reports that Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav is seeking his fourth term from Mainpuri seat where he is facing stiff competition from BJP's Shatrughan Singh Chauhan and BSP's Ms Sangh Mitra Maurya.

In Kannauj, Dimple Yadav of Samajwadi Party is taking on Subrat Pathak of BJP and Nirmal Tiwari of BSP to defend her seat.

In Uttar Pradesh, above 24 percent voting is reported during first four hours in 12 constituencies being polled today.

An official spokesperson told our Allahabad correspondent that above 28 percent voting has taken place in Mathura, Agra and Firozabad constituencies.

Minimum about 20 percent polling is reported from Etah seat. Above 26 percent electorates have exercised their franchise in Hathras and Fatehpur Sikri seats.

Above 25 percent voting has taken place in Firozabad and Kannauj seat. Above 20 percent voting is reported from Akbarpur, Etawah, Hardoi and Mainpuri constituencies.

Polling is taking place under tight security.