Heavy turnout in TN bypoll; AIADMK boycott adds political twist
Record voter-turnout of 77.73 per cent by 5 pm
Re-polling in 73 booths of Kairana Lok Sabha constituency remained peaceful as voters came out in good numbers beating the heat. Till 5 pm, about 53 per cent voting was reported.
Election commission had ordered re-polling in the 73 polling booths of Kairana Lok Sabha constituency from where complaints of VVPAT and EVM malfunctioning were reported by the leaders of political parties, including BJP.
Re-polling on 23 polling booths in Gangoh, 45 booths in Nakud, 4 in Shamli and 1 in Thanabhawan started on Wednesday morning. Voters came out enthusiastically in spite of the hassles faced on the day of polling on 28 May.
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Till 5 pm 62 per cent turnout was reported in polling booths of Nakud, 59 per cent in Gangoh, 45 per cent in Thanabhawan and 60 per cent in Shamli.
In spite of the ongoing Ramzan, voters showed up in good numbers in Muslim-dominated areas.
No report of EVM and VVPAT failure was reported from any polling booth in the re-poll on Wednesday. Polling staff hanged wet bedsheets in windows of many booths to keep temperatures low inside booths in order to protect VVPAT from possible overheating. The authorities had claimed that VVPAT machines failed due to high temperature on Monday.
Adequate force was deployed and tight security arrangements made to ensure peaceful polling.
The counting for Kairana and Noorpur bypolls will be held on Thursday and result is expected to be declared by afternoon. Earlier on Monday 54.57 per cent voting was reported in Kairana.
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