Prayagraj: Around 1.18 lakh voters will decide the fate of 13 candidates contesting for Allahabad-Jhansi Graduate seat on Friday. Polling will be held at 152 polling booths in 54 polling centres between 8 am and 4 pm amid tight security.On Thursday, polling parties were dispatched to their centres concerned. The ballot boxes will be sent to Jhansi on Friday once the polling is over.DM (Prayagraj) Manish Kumar Verma on Thursday reviewed arrangements with officials and issued directives. A total of 12 zonal magistrates and 50 sector magistrates have been assigned poll duties in the district. Over 1,700 policemen, including 12 ACPs, 40 SHOs and 100 SIs, have also been assigned duties.The main contest for Allahabad-Jhansi Graduate constituency will be between SP and BJP in what is being billed as a key electoral contest ahead of the 2027 assembly elections. While BJP has fielded Ashok Kumar Rathore, Maan Singh Yadav is the Samajwadi Party candidate.Polling will be held for five graduates’ constituencies, including Lucknow, Agra, Meerut, Varanasi and Allahabad-Jhansi, on Friday. Polling for the six teachers’ constituencies, including Lucknow, Agra, Meerut, Varanasi, Bareilly-Moradabad and Gorakhpur-Faizabad, will also be held on Oct 23. Counting and declaration of results will be on Oct 27.Meanwhile, the district unit of Samajwadi Party on Thursday alleged that police were intimidating voters to prevent them from casting their votes.Party spokesman Daan Bahadur ‘Madhur’ said: “After coming to know about the threat perception to voters, party candidate Mansingh Yadav accompanied by party netas and public representatives met with the district magistrate and the police commissioner to express their concern and lodged a complaint. A memorandum was also submitted.”Madhur further alleged that due to errors in the typing and printing of the electoral roll, the names of voters and their fathers have been jumbled or swapped.“In several instances, names have been printed two or even three times. Party president Akhilesh Yadav had already highlighted these discrepancies in Lucknow recently,” he said.SP leaders alleged that a sub-inspector-rank police officer in Mauaima, along with police personnel from the Janghai, Sarai Mamrez and Sarai Inayat police stations, identified specific voters and raided their houses to pressure them not to cast their votes.The memorandum further states that the officials of the education department in Prayagraj were also convening meetings with school managers and teachers, pressuring them to ensure votes are cast in favour of the BJP candidate. SP leaders demanded the removal of errant education department officials.All schools to remain shut todayPrayagraj: Schools in Prayagraj will remain closed on Oct 23 in view of Allahabad-Jhansi graduate constituency elections. District inspector of schools Anil Kumar issued the order on Thursday, directing all govt, aided and recognised schools to observe a one-day holiday.The order follows instructions issued by the chief electoral officer, Uttar Pradesh, under which a special casual holiday has been allowed for polling-related arrangements. The closure applies to schools recognised by UP Board, CBSE, CISCE and other boards.