The first phase of Assembly Polls in Uttar Pradesh has begun and is taking place in Bulandshahr, Aligarh, Mathura, Agra, Hapur, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad and Shamli districts. This covers the western part of the state and is prominently a Jat dominant belt. The counting of votes is to take place on the 10th of March.