MP bypoll: 62% voting in fight for Nath prestige
The by-elections to Damoh Assembly constituency in Madhya Pradesh held on Saturday, witnessed turnout of 62 percent voters.
The polling was held with strict enforcement of guidelines set by the Election Commission under which a voter was required to wear a hand glove and mask while pressing a button in the electronic voting machine to cast his vote.
“The polling in the byelection passed off peacefully”, the chief electoral officer’s office here said.
“The by-election recorded 62 percent polling. But, the polling percentage may rise further since people were still standing in line in a few booths to cast their votes”, the office said.
BJP’s Rahul Singh Lodhi, who had switched over to the saffron party from Congress around six months ago leading to the by-elections in the seat, is locked in a keen contest with Congress’ Ajey Tondon in the constituency.
The bypoll hold significance for former chief minister Kamal Nath.
New Delhi, April 17: Bypolls were held for two parliamentary constituencies in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and 12 Assembly seats spread across 10 states on Saturday.
The by-election in Pipili Assembly seat in Odisha was adjourned following the death of Congress candidate Ajit Mangaraj due to Covid on Wednesday. In Nagaland, only one candidate H. Chuba Chang of the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) had filed nomination for the bypoll to the Noksen assembly constituency and was elected unopposed, the Election Commission said.
In Andhra Pradesh, about 60-64 per cent turnout was recorded in the bypoll to the Tirupati(SC) Lok Sabha constituency. Opposition Telugu Desam, BJP and Congress demanded that the bypoll be cancelled forthwith, alleging that the ruling YSR Congress instigated bogus voting on a large scale, particularly in the temple town Tirupati.
Taking serious note of it, the EC directed the collectors of Chittoor and SPS Nellore districts to crack down on the bogus voters and ensure fair poll. State director general of police D.G. Sawang, however, claimed in a statement that the polling process was continuing in a “peaceful atmosphere” and everybody was exercising their franchise “fearlessly”.
Tirupati went to the bypoll due to the death of sitting YSRC MLA Balli
◗ BYPOLLS WERE held for two parliamentary constituencies in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka and 12 Assembly seats spread across 10 states on Saturday
Durga Prasad Rao last September.
In Karnataka, polling was held in Belgaum Lok Sabha seat and Basavakalyan and Maski assembly segments. Bypoll to Belgaum seat was necessitated following the death of Union minister Suresh Angadi.
A tentative 60 per cent voting was recorded in the by-election to Damoh assembly seat in Madhya Pradesh till 6 pm where the ruling BJP and the opposition Congress are locked in a straight contest. Damoh district returning officer Tarun Rathi said the polling percentage might go up to 70 or 75 per cent after factoring in the figures of the final polling, which ended at 7 pm. In Uttarakhand, a turnout of over 43 per cent was recorded in the bypoll to the Salt assembly seat in Almora. Except for a minor incident in which one person complained of another person disturbing the election process in the Majhor sector, polling went off peacefully, SSP Pankaj Bhatt said.
Nearly 70 per cent voters exercised their franchise in Mizoram for byelection to the Serchhip Assembly seat, where six candidates, including those of the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), ZPM and the Congress, are in fray.