Voting in WB, Rajasthan bypolls concludes

Voting for the bypolls to three parliamentary and two assembly constituencies in Rajasthan and West Bengal began on Monday amid tight security.

Jaipur/Kolkata, Jan 29: Voting for the crucial bypolls to the three parliamentary and two assembly constituencies in Rajasthan and West Bengal began on Monday amid tight security.

The bypolls to Lok Sabha seats of Alwar and Ajmer in Rajasthan and Uluberia in West Bengal are taking place along with bypolls to assembly seats of Mandalgarh in Rajasthan and Naopara in West Bengal on Monday.

The bypolls in Rajasthan hold great importance for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) just a few months before the state Assembly elections slated later this year. The results of the bypolls will be seen as a mandate to the Vasundhara Raje Scindia government in the state.

In West Bengal, the two bypolls are said to be a direct contest between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The Alwar, Ajmer and Uluberia seats fell vacant after sitting members Mahant Chandnath (BJP), Sanwar Lal Jat (BJP) and Sultan Ahmed (TMC) died last year.

The poll panel also announced byoll to Mandalgarh (Rajasthan) and Naopara (West Bengal) assembly seats.

The counting of votes will take place on February 1.

Bypolls to Lok Sabha seats of Alwar and Ajmer in Rajasthan and Uluberia in West Bengal, and bypoll to assembly seat of Mandalgarh in Rajasthan to take place today. pic.twitter.com/jdvAhzB3md

— ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2018

Get here the live updates about the elections:

06:25 pm: Polling concludes for Ajmer bypolls, 65.33 per cent voting turnout recorded

05: 00 pm: Around 40 per cent voting was recorded till late afternoon in the bypolls in the Lok Sabha constituencies of Alwar and Ajmer, and the Mandalgarh Assembly seat in Rajasthan on Monday.

A groom came to cast his vote in #AjmerByPolls; said, 'voting is my fundamental right & I wanted to exercise it on my wedding day' #Rajasthan pic.twitter.com/wQ9ZB1RNwC

— ANI (@ANI) January 29, 2018

3.15 pm: 61.75% voting turnout recorded till 3 pm in Mandalgarh assembly seat by-poll.

3.10 pm: 50% voting turnout recorded till 3 pm in #AlwarByPolls

02.45 pm: Nearly 50 per cent voter turnout recorded in Mandalgarh till 2 PM.

12.45 pm: 21% voting in Alwar, 20.5% voting in Ajmer and 25% voting in Mandalgarh till 11 am.

11.45 am: In West Bengal: Uluberia and Noapara registered 15 per cent and 17.5 per cent polling respectively in the first two hours. Both the seats are likely to witness a direct contest between the ruling Trinamool Congress and the BJP, even as the CPI(M) is trying hard to hold its ground in its erstwhile bastions.

11.30 am: Villagers in Manda in Ajmer district boycott polls over lack of development work.

10.30 am: In average voting turnout of 5.35 per cent was recorded in the first two hours of voting.

Alwar recorded 5.42 per cent voter turnout and Ajmer recorded 5.25 per cent voting while the voter turnout in Mandalgarh Assembly constituency was 6.42 per cent, according to the office of the chief electoral officer.

10.15 am: Former MoS for Youth Affairs and Sports Jitendra Singh cast his vote at a voting center in Alwar's Moti Dungri in Rajasthan, reported ANI.

9.15 am: Rajasthan: Voting for Ajmer Lok Sabha seat bypoll begins; BJP's Bhupender Yadav casts his vote at a voting centre in Kundan Nagar, stated ANI.

8.45 am: Rajasthan: Voting for Alwar and Ajmer Lok Sabha seat bypoll and Mandalgarh assembly seat bypoll started.

8.30 am: Voting for #Uluberia Lok Sabha seat by-poll: Voting temporarily stopped at Booth no. 231 after the voting machine stopped functioning, tweeted ANI.

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