The high voltage by-election in the Bhawanipur seat and two other constituencies of West Bengal Assembly - Bidhan Sobha held Thursday amid tight security and stringent Covid-19 measures.
Voters’ turnout was 76.12 % at Jangipur and 78.60 % in Samserganj constituencies of Bengal. Bypoll to the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency in West Bengal on Thursday witnessed a relatively low voter turnout amidst isolated disturbances, according to Indian media.
Till 5 p.m., about 53.32 % voters exercised their franchise in the seat, compared to in 76.12 % at Jangipur and 78.60 % at Samserganj constituencies of the State. There were no major incidents of violence in any of the three constituencies.
The Bhabanipur bypoll is crucial because Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee is contesting here. The voting was largely peaceful amidst high deployment of security personnel. Ms. Banerjee lost from Nandigram in the last Assembly polls.
Elections to Jangipur and Samserganj were postponed in April following the death of two candidates.
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To ensure watertight security and peaceful voting, the Election Commission deployed 20 companies of Central Armed Forces.
The by-poll at Bhawanipur assembly constituency will decide the fate of chief minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee. She has represented the Bhawanipur seat twice in the assembly and aimed for a third time to win which is crucial for her to remain chief minister.
She lost in this year's assembly election in Nandigram, 170 kms off from Kolkata to her aide-turned-bete noir Suvendu Adhikary. As per the provision of Indian constitution, Banerjee needs to win from any assembly seat by November 5 to remain state's chief minister.
Vote will be counted on October 3, 2021.