Polling begins for Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal by-elections

Umroi, Jan 25 (ANI): Voting has begun for the assembly by-election at Bhadohi reserve segment in Sant Ravidas Nagar in Uttar Pradesh this morning.

The polling will decide the fate of sixteen contestants. The main contenders are from Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Samajwadi Party (SP), Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Three hundred sixty five polling booths have been set up for three lakhs forty five thousand voters to cast their votes. One hundred fifty three polling booths have been identified as sensitive.

The by-poll has been necessitated following the death of a BSP MLA.

Counting of votes will take place March 1.

Tight security arrangements have been made to avoid any kind of untoward incident.

Nearly twenty companies of security forces including five companies of Central para military forces, fifteen companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), and 1000 state police have been pressed into service.

Inter-district borders of the segment with Allahabad, Mirzapur, Varanasi and Jaunpur has already been sealed.

Voting is also underway in West Bengal for Bishnupur (West) assembly by-election.

This seat had fallen vacant due to death of CPI (M) MLA Ratin Sarkar. (ANI)