52 per cent polling recorded in Daltonganj bypoll

Daltonganj, Jun 2 (UNI) About 52 per cent of the more than 2.5 lakh voters exercised their franchise in the Assembly bypoll held here today, official sources said.

Voting in two polling booth - 186 and 187- began three hours late as the presiding officer of booth number 186 failed to operate the EVMs.

The polling, which began at 0700 hrs, ended at 1600 hrs.

The bypoll passed off peacefully barring a few incidents of clashes between various political outfits. Three persons were arrested in this regard.

In another incident, a supporter of a political outfit fired blank shots outside the polling booth of Daltonganj Mission school.

About 16 companies of the para-military forces and 31 of the state police were deployed in this naxal-dominated area.

In all 12 magistrates had been deployed to maintain law and order in the urban areas, official sources said.

Besides, arrangements of two helicopters had been made for aerial surveys.

Altogether 24 candidates are in the fray, considered an 'acid test' for former Assembly Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari.

According to psephologists, the main contest would be between Mr Namdhari (Independent) and Anil Chaurasia of the All Jharkhand Students Union.

Besides, Neelu Mishra of JD(U), K N Tripathi of Congress and Bobby Khan of Bahujan Samaj Party were also in the fray.

The poll was necessitated after Mr Namdhari, a former JD(U) leader, resigned from the Daltonganj Assembly seat following an intra-party conflict.

Counting of votes would be held on June five.

UNI