Lucknow:A voter turnout ranging from 50 to 70 per cent was recorded in the bypolls to 15 Assembly seats spread across Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Kerala and Uttarakhand on Wednesday amid stray incidents of violence and complaints of irregularities against police officials and misuse of government machinery.
Polling was held in Katehari, Karhal, Meerapur, Ghaziabad, Majhawan, Sisamau, Khair, Phulpur and Kundarki seats in Uttar Pradesh, Gidderbaha, Dera Baba Nanak, Chabbewal (SC) and Barnala constituencies in Punjab, Palakkad in Kerala and Kedarnath seat in Uttarakhand.
While the polling percentage in Kerala was 70.51, it was 63 in Punjab, 57.64 in Uttarakhand and 49.3 in Uttar Pradesh. The final figures are likely to change.
Sporadic incidents were reported from Uttar Pradesh. In a post on X, Akhilesh Yadav said, “All police officers who are checking voter cards and Aadhaar IDs should be immediately suspended on the basis of video evidence. Police have no right to check Aadhaar ID cards or identity cards.”
Acting on complaints by SP president Akhilesh Yadav, the Election Commission ordered suspension of five police personnel in Uttar Pradesh violating its guidelines on checking of voters and stopping them from casting votes.
An incident of stone pelting was reported in Kakroli village during voting for the Meerapur Assembly bypoll following a confrontation between two groups.
Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) candidate Mithlesh Pal claimed that she was informed about people from outside the constituency being called in for “bogus voting”. “These people have been accommodated in Madrasas and schools,” she alleged. Pal also claimed that bogus voting was being done by “women in burqa”.
In Punjab, a minor clash took place between the AAP and Congress supporters at Dera Pathana village in the Dera Baba Nanak segment.
