Assembly bypolls : Heavy turnout in Andhra, Goa; Delhi witnesses only 45

Bypolls to Nandyal Assembly constituency of Andhra Pradesh and two seats in Goa witnessed a high turnout percentage of over 70 while only 45 per cent voters exercised their franchise in Delhi's lone seat of Bawana.Counting of votes will take place on August 28.

Delhi bypoll:

The Bawana bypoll will pose a real challenge for Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Aam Aadmi Party to regain the trust deficit the party has been facing for quite some time. Nearly three lakh people are eligible to cast votes at 379 polling stations set up across the constituency in north- west Delhi.

The BJP has fielded Ved Prakash, who won from Bawana in 2015 Assembly elections as an AAP candidate. He resigned from the MLA post and quit the AAP to join the BJP in March this year. While, AAP has fielded Ram Chandar, who contested 2008 assembly election on a BSP ticket but lost.

The Bawana assembly bypoll saw a 45 per cent turnout.

Out of 379 polling stations in the constituency, 311 have less than 1,000 registered electors, while 68 have more than 1,000 registered electors, it said.

FIR has been registered against Aam Admi Party minister Imran Hussain for violation of provision under section 123 and 125 of RPA 1951 and model code of conduct at Bawana police station.

Goa Assembly bypolls:

While in Goa Chief Minister and former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has cast his vote early in the morning. After casting his vote, Parrikar who is contesting from Panaji seat said no projections but it will be substantial.

In Panaji, Parrikar is contesting against Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's confidante Girish Chodankar. In Valpoi, the BJP has fielded Congress rebel and Health Minister Vishwajeet Rane, whose main opponent is Roy Naik, the son of former state Home minister Ravi Naik, of the Congress. The polling is being held at 76 booths including 30 in Panaji and 46 in Valpoi.

In view of the two bypolls in the state, a government holiday was declared.

In Goa, the final voting by 5 pm was recorded at 70 per cent in Panaji and 79.8 per cent in Valpoi.

Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar accused the Congress of trying to sabotage polling and filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India (ECI). The Congress levelled counter-allegations. Parrikar, who returned to the state from the Centre after the elections in February, is contesting from Panaji against Congress' Girish Chodankar and Goa Suraksha Manch's Anand Shirodkar.

Nandyal bypoll:

The Nandyal assembly bypoll saw a 80 per cent turnout.

Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh where voting held has turned into a battle of prestige between Chandrababu Naidu's TDP and Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSR Congress.

A case has been registered against Jaganmohan Reddy under 188,504,506 and public representation act for violating model code of conduct.

YSR Congress party's candidate Shilpa Mohan Reddy cast his vote early on Wednesday morning.

This is the first time VVPAT machines are being used in the bypolls. In a move to bring in more transparency in the system, the Election Commission has introduced VVPAT to ensure citizens can physically verify their vote once cast.

OneIndia News