Over 50 per cent of the 1.51 crore electorate exercised their franchise in the polling for the third phase of assembly elections in 57 constituencies of Uttar Pradesh, marking an improvement in voters' turnout in the first two phases.

Polling passed off peacefully, Chief Electoral Officer A K Bishnoi told media persons in Lucknow.

The first phase drew a turnout of about 46 per cent and the second 47 per cent.

About 20 complaints were received from different places, which pertained mainly to discrepancies in the voters list and identification papers, he said.

Bishnoi said the Election Commission has taken cognisance of the complaint that the names of Congress candidate Louis Khursheed and her husband and UPCC chief Salman Khursheed were found missing from the voter's list as a result of which they could not cast their votes at Kaimganj in Farrukhabad district.

In reply to a question, he said Congress has demanded that the polling at the centre be scrapped and re-poll ordered.

Wednesday's polling will decide the fate of 861 candidates, including Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav who is contesing from Gunnaur seat in Badaon district.

Prominent among others who are in fray in the third phase are Uttar Pradesh Minister for Urban Development Azam Khan, Rashtriya Parivartan Dal President D.P.Yadav and Louis Khursheed.

Bishnoi said an Indo-Tibet Border Police jawan was killed by a bullet fired from his own gun at Jyotiba Phule Nagar on Wednesday morning. The incident was, however, not related to polling and it was being ascertained whether it was an accident or suicide.

As many as 14,730 polling stations and 9,393 polling centres had been made for the electorate and 17,000 EVMs would be used in the polling. As many as 660 companies of Central Paramilitary Force had been deployed in this phase and strict directions had been given to them to ensure free, fair and peaceful elections.