Meerut: Voters from the most populated state of the country - Uttar Pradesh - have voted for ‘Better Law and Order and Policing’ among their top priorities. Despite the state govt’s claims that law and order in UP has improved in the BJP’s regime, it gave a below average performance. Findings were a part of the survey conducted by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) between October and December 2018. The survey covered all 80 constituencies of UP.In UP, the top three priorities included ‘better employment opportunities’ (42.82%), ‘better hospitals, primary health care centres’ (34.56%) and ‘better law and order/policing’ (33.73%). ‘Better law and order’ is the last priority among the top 10 voters’ priority list across the country.“Out of all the eight Empowered Action Group (EAG) states, which are considered as the most socially economically backward in seven states (Bihar, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh), ‘better employment opportunities’ is at the top of the priority list,” read the ADR survey report.With 33.73% voters, the state ranked seventh among the top states which voted for ‘better law and order/policing’ as their priority. The seven states who listed it as their priority include Rajasthan (42.41%), Tripura (40.44%), Chandigarh (36.72%), Chattisgarh (36.39%), Bihar (34.72%), Jharkhand (34.51%), followed by UP (33.73%).Detailing the aim of the ADR survey, the report read, “The survey was commissioned in order to ascertain voters’ priorities on specific governance issues, their perception of the government’s performance on those issues and also, to identify the factors that influence the voting pattern.”Ex UP DGP Prakash Singh said, “Considering the population of UP, law and order is indeed a priority for voters and if not taken care of, one can even lose election. During the Samajwadi Party’s regime, there was a perception that if a prominent person claimed affinity to the Yadavs, they would get away with the matter. However, in BSP’s rule, the law and order situation was much better. Meanwhile, under BJP’s rule, ‘gundas’ are lying low and have even surrendered. This being said many encounters are under scrutiny but there is general improvement in the law and order situation in UP.”

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