Counting of votes for the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections is underway and initial trends show that the ruling BJP is leading on 248 out of 399 seats that have been counted at 12:00 pm. If the party wins this election, it will be for the first time in 37 years that a ruling party will return to power in the state. More details here.

Students’ organisations in Uttar Pradesh’s Allahabad University have been up in arms ever since the institute’s administration announced a hike in fees last month. With the administration not compromising its stance on the rationale behind the fees hike, the protests against the decision are escalating with every passing day. Leaders from the opposition parties in the state have also expressed their support for the students. Here’s all that has happened in the story so far.

Nine months after violent clashes during a farmers' stir in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri, Bhartiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait organised a 75-hour long protest in the district and reasserted the demands of the cultivators. The main demands include sacking of Union Minister Ajay Mishra 'Teni', withdrawal of legal cases registered against the farmers and a legal guarantee on the minimum support price. Details here.

Last night, farmers brought 35 tractors loaded with stray cattle to the residence of BJP MLA Aseem Goel and demanded a solution to the menace of stray cattle. They have also questioned the ‘cow cess’ which was imposed to solve the crisis.