press trust of india
Amaravati/Panaji/New Delhi, August 23: By-polls to Nandyal Assembly constituency of Andhra Pradesh and two seats in Goa witnessed a high turnout percentage of over 70 while only 45 per cent voters exercised their franchise in Delhi’s lone seat of Bawana.
A turnout of about 80 per cent was recorded in Nandyal, where the ruling TDP and the opposition YSR Congress (YSRC) are locked in a fierce battle.
In Goa, Panaji constituency recorded 70 per cent polling and Valpoi 79.80 per cent, said Chief Electoral Officer Kunal.
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar accused the Congress of trying to sabotage polling and filed a complaint with the Election Commission. The Congress levelled counter-allegations.
The counting would be held August 28. For the first time, Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) was used in the by-election in Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and Goa. VVPAT is a machine which dispenses a slip with the symbol of the party for which a person has voted for. The slip drops in a box but the voter cannot take it home.
The voter turnout in Delhi was much lower than the 2015 figure of 61.83 per cent. The AAP, the BJP and the Congress are locked in a triangular contest.
“The entire polling process went on peacefully and no untoward incident was reported from any part of the constituency,” said Chandra Bhushan Kumar, Chief Electoral Officer, Delhi.
The polling officials said that one EVM and 17 VVPAT equipment malfunctioned during polling and were replaced without any hindrance in voting. Polling officials conjectured that multiple elections taking place in the city in quick succession could be a factor for the low turn-out in Bawana bypoll. The by-poll was necessitated after the resignation of Ved Prakash as the legislator in March.
In Goa, Parrikar, who returned to the state from the Centre after the elections in February, is contesting from Panaji against Congress’ Girish Chodankar and Goa Suraksha Manch’s Anand Shirodkar.
In Valpoi, the BJP has fielded health minister Vishwajit Rane against the Congress’ Roy Naik.
The Panaji by-poll was necessitated after the BJP’s sitting MLA, Siddharth Kuncolienkar, vacated the seat for Parrikar, as the latter has to get elected to the Assembly within six months of becoming the chief minister.