Lucknow, Apr 12: Voting for by-polls to two Lok Sabha and three Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh began this morning amid tight security.

The by-polls are being held in Lok Sabha constituencies - Azamgarh and Khalilabad - and Assembly constituencies - Colonelganj in Gonda district, Muradnagar in Ghaziabad and Bilgram in Hardoi districts.

The Azamgarh by-poll was necessitated after Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Ramakant Yadav lost Lok Sabha seat after he joined the Samajwadi Party (SP).

Elections were necessitated in Colonelganj and Muradnagar due to defection of the winning candidates and in Bilgram due to death of the sitting MLA.

All the major political parties have fielded their candidates for the elections.

Around 455 observers have been appointed to monitor the election process. The polling is being conducted through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

According to Election Commission (EC), the model code of conduct comes into force with immediate effect in the districts in which whole or any part of the parliamentary or assembly constituencies for which the bye-elections are going to be held.

The counting will take place on April 16. (ANI)