Byelection 2023 Live: Voting for the byelections to the seven Assembly constituencies of six states, including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Tripura, West Bengal and Jharkhand, began at 7 am on Tuesday.
This is the first contest between the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and the Opposition’s newly formed Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) ahead of the Assembly polls this year and the Lok Sabha elections in 2024.
While bypolls on two seats are being conducted as the sitting MLAs had resigned, the other five seats have gone to polls due to the demise of the lawmakers. These seven seats are – Kerala’s Puthuppally, Tripura’s Dhanpur and Boxanagar, Uttar Pradesh’s Ghosi, West Bengal’s Dhupgiri, Uttarakhand’s Bageshwar and Jharkhand’s Dumri.
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Bypolls 2023 Live News Updates: Voting begins with security arrangements in place; Counting of votes on September 8. Follow all the latest updates here.
Over 38 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 1 pm in the Bageshwar Assembly byelection in Uttarakhand which began at 7 am on Tuesday. Voting is slated to go on till 5 pm. There are approximately 1.2 lakh voters in the constituency.
Amid allegations of violence and fake voting, Tripura’s Dhanpur and Boxanagar saw a voter turnout of 78.69 per cent and 74.69 per cent, respectively.
However, according to officials at the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO)’s office, voting was underway peacefully at different polling stations of the Boxanagar constituency.
61.61 per cent polling recorded at Tripura's Boxanagar and 59.62 per cent at Dhanpur till 1 pm.
More than 34 per cent of voting was recorded in the byelection to Dhupguri assembly seat in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district till 11 am, an official said.
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 byelection in Uttar Pradesh which began on Tuesday morning, the Election Commission of India said.
The voting for the byelections 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.
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.
An estimated 40 per cent electorate cast their votes in the first four hours of polling on Tuesday in the Dhanpur and Boxanagar Assembly constituencies in Tripura's Sepahijala district, where voting is underway for the bypolls.
According to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO)’s office, 40.49 per cent voter turnout was recorded at the Boxanagar Assembly constituency and 39.48 per cent turnout was registered at Dhanpur until 11 am. Polling had started at 7 am in 59 booths in the Dhanpur Assembly constituency and 51 in Boxanagar, and will continue until 4 pm.
An average voter turnout of 18.71 per cent was recorded in the first two hours of polling on Tuesday in the byelections to Dhanpur and Boxanagar Assembly seats in Tripura's Sepahijala district, an EC official said.
Polling began at 7 am in 59 booths in Dhanpur Assembly constituency and 51 in Boxanagar, and is scheduled to continue till 4 pm.
Voting began amid tight security at 7 am across 260 booths in the Dhupguri constituency of West Bengal, and the poll percentage was recorded at 17.25 per cent till 9 am, an official told PTI.
“At the moment polling is absolutely peaceful. Tight security measures are in place and there is an adequate number of forces,” PTI quoted the Election Commission official as saying.
Over 11.40 per cent of 2.98 lakh voters cast their votes till 9 am in the byelection to Jharkhand's Dumri Assembly seat, PTI reported.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren extended his wishes to the voters and polling officials and urged the electors to exercise their franchise.
In Uttar Pradesh, voter turnout was recorded at just 9.12 per cent in the first two hours of polling.
12.5 per cent voting recorded after first hour of polling in Puthuppally bypoll, Kerala.
Jharkhand Minister and Dumri JMM bypoll candidate 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."
Union minister and Apna Dal (Sonelal) president Anupriya Patel said that the opposition INDIA bloc has no existence in Uttar Pradesh and its candidates do not stand a chance in an electoral contest in the state against the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
She also claimed that the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) will soon disintegrate like a "house of cards".
INDIA constituents are putting up a united front behind the dominant Samajwadi Party in Ghosi, Uttar Pradesh, behind the leading JMM in Jharkhand’s Dumri, behind the stronger CPI(M) in Dhanpur and Boxanagar in Tripura, and behind the preeminent Congress in Uttarakhand’s Bageshwar. However, in West Bengal’s Dhupguri and Kerala’s Puthappally seats, INDIA partners are rallied against each other. The counting of votes will take place on September 8.