Ranchi:
Around 42 per cent polling was recorded in Jharkhand's Hatia assembly by-poll on Tuesday, an election commission official said.
"Initial reports say around 42 per cent polling took place in the Hatia assembly by-poll. The polling was by and large peaceful," an election commission official told IANS.
At a few places, EVM machines had to be replaced after they developed technical errors.
Polling began at 8 am and ended at 5 pm. Twenty-nine candidates were in the fray.
The key contest was between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress, the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P) and the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU). The BJP and AJSU are partners in the ruling alliance in Jharkhand.
The Hatia seat fell vacant after Congress legislator Gopal Nath Sahdeo passed away in 2010. A poll petition had held up the by-election till now.