Lucknow, July 19 (UNI)Smooth polling was underway here for the 13th Presidential election in Uttar Pradesh today with almost a two-thirds of members already exercising their franchise.

Altogether 280 members of the BSP, BJP, Congress, RLD and others have voted so far while none of the Samajwadi Party MLAs used their franchise.

The Samajwadi Party, the main party in the opposition, a part of the UNPA, has decided to abstain. With 94 MLAs in the House, the vote value of the SP stands at 19,552.

Assistant Returning Officer (ARO) and principal secretary (assembly) R P Pandey told UNI here that the polling was peaceful and 280 legislators have exercised their franchise till 1330 hrs.

If the SP abstains from polling then only 306 MLAs would cast their votes in the polling.

Chief Minister Mayawati is not elegible to vote as she had resigned from the Rajya Sabha after being elected to the UP Legislative Council.

MLAs in Uttar Pradesh have the largest vote share (83,200) in this election.

Mr Pandey said the polling will continue till 1700 hrs and the ballot boxes will be airlifted to New Delhi tomorrow morning.

Counting of votes will be taken up in New Delhi on July 21.

Each MLA vote in UP has a value of 208 and a total of 400 legislators are elegible to cast their votes in the poll.

UNI