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Voting concluded in Panaji (Goa) and four Tamil Nadu Assembly seats that went for by-elections on Sunday, 19 May. Bypolls took place for four Assembly seats in West Bengal and two Assembly seats in Karnataka.
Meanwhile, the final voter turnout was at 75.28 percent in Panaji and 77 percent in Tamil Nadu. In Tamil Nadu the constituencies that polled on Sunday are Sulur, Aravakurichi, Ottapidaram and Thiruparankundram.
Moreover, Bhatpara, Darjeeling, Habibpur and Islampur seats in West Bengal along with Chincholi and Kundgol in Karnataka went to polls on 19 May.
(Click here for the latest updates on last phase of voting.)
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Polling for the high stakes by-election to four constituencies in Tamil Nadu are underway.
While the bypolls to 18 seats were held along with Lok Sabha polls on 18 April in the state, four other Assembly segments – Sulur, Aravakurichi, Ottapidaram (SC) and Thiruparankundram – go to polls on 19 May.
The Sulur seat fell vacant in March following the death of AIADMK MLA R Kanakaraj, who died of a heart attack.
Ottapidaram (SC) constituency is represented by disqualified AIADMK MLA Sundararaj while Thirupparankundram legislator AK Bose also belonging to AIADMK died last year.
Aravakurichi is represented by Senthil Balaji, a disqualified AIADMK legislator who has joined DMK.
Both Congress and the BJP have expressed confidence at winning the Panaji bypoll. The bypoll was necessitated by the death of the late chief minister, Manohar Parrikar.
Both the seats going to bypolls – Chincholi and Kundgol – were held by the Congress previously. If the results go in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) favour, their strength in the Assembly would increase from 104 to 106; only seven short of the number needed to form the government.
Voting underway for by-election to the Sulur assembly constituency.
Voting is currently underway for the bypoll to the Panaji assembly constituency, which was necessitated due to the death of former Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar in March.
Polling began at 7 am, officials told PTI.
As many as 22,482 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the constituency which covers areas including the state capital and has 30 polling stations.
EVM glitches were reported at two booths in Irugur and Karumathampatti in Sulur, The Quint has learnt. The faulty EVMs were later replaced.
As of 9 am, voter turnout across the four assembly seats in Tamil Nadu stood at:
Madan Mitra, the TMC candidate from Bhatpara assembly seat in West Bengal, alleges that he was stopped from entering the booth.
AIADMK files complaint with EC against DMK Aravakuruchi Candidate Senthil Balaji alleging that he and his party workers stopped many people from casting votes.
TN Election Commission CEO - "We have received complaints from both parties (DMK, AIADMK) regarding faulty EVMs not letting voters cast their vote. We have been in touch with the police, DO, RO and we are ensuring smooth election process."
Voter turnout in the four assembly seats in Tamil Nadu till 12 pm-
TMC leader Madan Mitra, party's candidate for the bypoll to Bhatpara Assembly seat, argues with a security personnel at a polling booth in the assembly constituency.
Crude bombs were hurled by a mob during bypolls at Bhatpara assembly seat in West Bengal, NDTV reported.
According to the report, police forces used batons to disperse the mob.
An estimated 41.5 percent of the over 3.8 crore electorate exercised their franchise till 1 PM in the bypolls to Chincholi and Kundgol assembly constituencies.
The polls were by and large peaceful except for some snags reported in VVPATs, which were changed.
There were reports of EVMs developing problems in Chikkanarthi and Yalaguppi in Kundgol.
However, the joint chief electoral officer A V Surya Sen refuted them. Sen said 10 VVPATs in Chincholi and 2 VVPATs in Kundgol were changed.
The four assembly constituencies polling in Tamil Nadu recorded a voter turnout of 58 percent in Sulur, 66 percent in Aravakurichi, 56 percent in Thiruparankundram and 52 percent in Ottapidaram till 3 pm.
Over 45 percent voting was recorded in the Panaji Assembly bypoll on Sunday till 1 pm.
“As of 1 pm, 45.78 percent voter turnout was recorded in Panaji,” EC said.
The four assembly constituencies polling in Tamil Nadu recorded a voter turnout of 67.18 percent in Sulur, 79.49 percent in Aravakurichi, 61.99 percent in Thiruparankundram and 66.77 percent in Ottapidaram till 5 pm.
The final voter turnout in the four Assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu was at 77 percent – with 79.41 percent in Sulur, 84.28 percent in Aravakurichi, 74.17 percent in Thiruparankundram and 72.61 percent in Ottapidaram.
With voting for the Assembly bypolls concluding at 6 pm on Sunday, Panaji Assembly seat saw the final voter turnout at 75.28 percent.
An average of 75.81 percent polling was recorded in the two Karnataka Assembly by-elections – Chincholi and Kundgol, on Sunday.
While Chincholi registered a voter turnout of 70.3 percent, Kundgol was at 81.33 percent.
Published: 19 May 2019,06:02 AM IST