Lucknow, Apr 3 (IANS): The Uttar Pradesh State Election Commission has updated the voter list for the forthcoming urban local body polls.

More than 96 lakh voters have been added to the list.

State Election Commissioner (SEC) Manoj Kumar said that as many as 4.32 crore people are now eligible to vote in the forthcoming polls.

The strength of the electorate was 3.35 crore during the last polls in 2017.

"There has been an increase of 96,36,280 voters. He said the increase in the number of voters has been primarily due to the expansion of the boundary of municipal corporations and Nagar Palika parishads. Owing to formation of new Nagar panchayats, many rural areas have also been included in urban limits," said the SEC.

The SEC also said that another 21.23 lakh voters have been shifted from rural to urban jurisdictions.

He said there will be more than 4.33 lakh first-time voters this year.

These voters have turned 18 by January 1, 2023. The urban local body polls are expected to be held soon, but the notification is yet to be issued.