Bypolls 2023 updates: Kerala, Tripura, Bengal see high turnout, moderate in rest

High voter turnout was recorded in most of the six assembly constituencies in seven states where the by-election was held on Tuesday. 

Dhanpur and Boxanagar seats in Tripura, where the Congress had extended support to the CPI(M), the turnout was around 76 per cent. Six persons were injured in a stray incident of violence in the northeastern state.

In Dhupguri in West Bengal and Puthuppally in Kerala, where the INDIA bloc constituents were up against each other, the turnout was around 76 per cent and nearly 73 per cent respectively.

The by-election saw the INDIA alliance also putting up a united front in the Ghosi constituency in Uttar Pradesh, where the voting was moderate at around 50.30 per cent, and in Jharkhand’s Dumri where a total of 64.84 per cent of 2.98 lakh voters exercised their franchise

Uttarakhand's Bageshwar, where the main contest is between the BJP and the Congress, saw 55.44 per cent voting.

Out of the seven seats, three (Dhanpur, Bageshwar and Dhupguri), were held by the BJP and one each by the SP (Ghosi), CPI(M) (Boxanagar), JMM (Dumri) and the Congress (Puthuppally).

In Uttar Pradesh, the Ghosi seat fell vacant after the resignation of Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA and OBC leader Dara Singh Chauhan, who rejoined the BJP. (PTI)

More than 55 per cent of the electorate cast their votes on Tuesday to seal the fate of five candidates in the fray for the Bageshwar assembly bypoll in Uttarakhand. Till 5 pm, 55.42 per cent voting was recorded, Bageshwar District Magistrate Anuradha Paul told PTI.

Voters were still standing in the queue at the booths at 5 pm, the closing time for polling. Those already in queue will be allowed to vote and the final polling percentage will go up, the DM said. Polling was peaceful with no untoward incident reported from anywhere, she said, adding an EVM machine at Mandal Sera polling booth went out of order at 2 pm which was quickly replaced.

Around 76 per cent of 2.6 lakh eligible voters exercised their franchise in the by-election to the Dhupguri assembly seat in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district till 5 pm on Tuesday, an official said.

Two BJP leaders including an MLA, who are not residents of the constituency, were found in a party office. One of them, the BJP district president, had to leave as he could not show any document allowing him entry into Dhupguri during the voting.

"Till 5 pm, 75.82 per cent of votes were cast. Tight security measures are in place and there is an adequate number of forces,” the Election Commission official told PTI.

Police said six persons were injured when they were allegedly attacked by some villagers at Mohanbhog in Dhanpur Assembly constituency.

The villagers set fire to five motorcycles, triggering tension, but the situation was brought under control, a police officer said, adding, the injured have been admitted to hospital and are out of danger.

"I urge the people to maintain peace during the polling and repeat the precedent of peaceful voting like of last assembly elections," Chief Minister Manik Saha said in a Facebook post.

About 59 per cent of 2.98 lakh voters exercised their franchise till 3 pm on Tuesday in the by-election to Dumri assembly seat in Jharkhand, an official said.

The polling is underway peacefully across the constituency, and the turnout was 58.92 per cent after the first eight hours of voting, he said.

Chief Minister Hemant Soren extended his wishes to voters and polling officials and appealed to electors to exercise their franchise.

"Today, there is an election in Dumri to empower those who protect Jharkhandi pride, today is the election to honour the one who dedicates himself to his people, today Dumri will choose its future who will always fight for the protection of Jharkhand and Jharkhandi, today in Dumri, democracy will once again defeat money system," Soren wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

78.69% at recorded in Tripura's Boxanagar seat and 74.69% turnout in Dhanpur seat till 3 pm

Around 51 per cent of voting was recorded in the by-election to the Dhupguri assembly seat in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district till 1 pm, an official said. Polling began amid tight security at 7 am across 260 booths in the constituency, he said.

"Around 51 per cent of votes were cast till 1 pm. Tight security measures are in place and there is an adequate number of forces,” the Election Commission official told PTI.

At 2 pm, the voter turnout percentage was 51.34 per cent with 90,572 voters -- 45,639 men, 44,931 women and two transgenders -- casting their votes, the district administration said. There are over 1.76 lakh registered voters in the constituency.

The ruling CPI(M) and the opposition Congress are locked in a fierce battle for the assembly seat representing this constituency that fell vacant after the demise of Congress stalwart and former Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy.

Chandy represented the constituency in Kottayam district for more than five decades without any break until his demise on July 18.

61.61 % polling recorded at Tripura's Boxanagar and 59.62% Dhanpur till 1 pm.

38% voting up to 1pm in Uttarakhand's Bageshwar

Over 27 per cent of 2.98 lakh voters exercised their franchise till 9 a.m. on Tuesday in the by-election to Dumri assembly seat in Jharkhand, an official said.

The polling is underway peacefully across the constituency, and the turnout was 27.56 per cent after the first four hours of voting, he said. (PTI)

More than 34 per cent voting was recorded in the by-election to Dhupguri assembly seat in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district till 11 am , an official said.

Polling began amid tight security at 7 am across 260 booths in the constituency, he said.

“At the moment, polling is absolutely peaceful. Tight security measures are in place and there is an adequate number of forces,” the Election Commission official told PTI.

Long queues of voters were seen outside various polling stations across the constituency.

Over 20 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 11 am for the Ghosi assembly bye-election in Uttar Pradesh began on Tuesday morning, the Election Commission of India said.

The voting for the bye-elections to the other six assembly constituencies of several states, including Uttarakhand, Kerala, Tripura, West Bengal, and Jharkhand, started on Tuesday at 7 am.

Voting is slated to go on till 5 pm.

Mau, UP: "Votes are being conducted peacefully. The process is going smoothly at all polling booths. Our officials are on the field. There is no problem so far. We are taking feedback constantly from zonal magistrate..." says Mau District Magistrate Arun Kumar

The ruling CPI(M) in Kerala is mulling over withdrawing the case lodged against members of the influential Nair Service Society (NSS) for their 'namajapa' protest over Speaker A N Shamseer's alleged remarks about a Hindu deity.

An indication in this regard came on Monday, on the eve of Puthuppally assembly bypoll, through the legal opinion of a government lawyer advising the police to drop further investigation in the case and to file a final report to that effect before the jurisdictional court.

Voting at total 110 polling stations Boxanagar and Dhanpur constituencies in Tripura's Sepahijala district were recorded at 40.49 percent and 39.48 percent till 11 AM on Tuesday, said an official from the Election Department.

Barring few polling stations, voting started in these two constituencies began at 7 AM.

The by-polls became necessary after the seats fell vacant following death of CPM legislator of Boxanagar constituency Samsul Haque and resignation of Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment who won from Dhanpur seat on BJP ticket.

The ruling BJP and opposition CPM are the only party to contest against each other in the by-polls as the TIPRA Motha and Congress didn't put up their candidates.

The Congress , however, decided to support the CPM, though they initially expressed dissatisfaction over CPM's declaration of candidates without any consultation with them.

People began queuing up outside the polling booths from 6 am and by 9 am 10.13 per cent polling was recorded, Bageshwar District Magistrate Anuradha Paul told PTI.

Five candidates are in the fray. The BJP has fielded Parvati Das while the Congress has pitted Basant Kumar against her.

Das is the wife of Chandan Ram Das whose death in April this year necessitated the bypoll. He had won from the seat four times since 2007.

SP has alleged misuse of official machinery and has written to the Election Commission on the matter. It was alleged that Muslim voters were being prevented from voting in some places, reported PTI.

The SP's national executive member Arvind Kumar Singh has written to the Chief Election Commissioner alleging that Muslim voters in booth number 147 are being not allowed to vote by the polling officer.

Despite their names being on the voter list, they are being told to go back since their votes have already been cast, he alleged.

The letter claimed that when voters resisted, the police and polling officials "at the behest of the ruling BJP are using abusive words to drive them away". It is a criminal act to deprive any voter of his franchise, Singh said in the letter.

It also alleged that Ravindra Nath, a village head, and Dharmendra Yadav, a polling agent, were being pressured to vote in favour of the BJP.

27.56 % voting recorded Dumri, Jharkhand till 11am.

21.57% voter turnout recorded in Ghosi by 11 am.

Voting for bypoll at Uttarakhand's Bageshwar Assembly seat is underway.

The voting procedure started on Tuesday at 7 am. Even though there are five candidates in the fray, the main contest in the constituency is likely to remain between the Bhartiya Janta Party's Parvati Das and the Congress' Basant Kumar.

The death of Parvati’s husband, Chandan Ram Das, from the Bageshwar constituency necessitated a bye-election in the Bagehwar Assembly. Kumar was previously the vice president of the Aam Adami Party (AAP) state unit. He resigned from the AAP to join the Congress Party. Notably, Parvati's husband was a strong candidate from the Bageshwar seat as he had been winning the elections from the same seat for four consecutive polls since 2007.

Jharkhand Minister and Dumri by-poll candidate Bebi Devi cast her vote on Tuesday morning and exuded confidence in people's support.

While speaking to ANI, after coming out of the polling booth, Bebi Devi said, "I have full support from the people here. I have cast my vote. Anything can only be said after September 8, when the results are announced..."

A bypoll in Jharkhand's Dumri was necessitated after the death of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MLA Jagarnath Mahto.

JMM filed Mahto's wife, Bebi Devi, who is representing the India bloc, against NDA's Yashoda Devu and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Abdul Rizvi.