A moderate turnout was recorded in the by-election to the Bhabanipur assembly seat, where West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is contesting to retain her post, as polling in the high-profile constituency in south Kolkata passed off peacefully on Thursday.
Around 53.32 per cent turnout was recorded in the seat till 5 PM. The Election Commission said that the final turnout till 6 PM will be available on Friday.
A high voting rate at 78.60 per cent and 76.12 per cent was recorded in Murshidabad''s Samserganj and Jangipur seats respectively, where polls had to be countermanded during the April-May assembly elections following the death of two candidates.
A total of 6,97,164 voters were eligible to exercise their franchise in the three constituencies.
Polling began at 7 am on Thursday for the by-election to the Bhabanipur seat, where West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is contesting, and two other constituencies amid tight security and stringent COVID-19 measures, officials said.
The by-polls are being held in south Kolkata's Bhabanipur, besides Jangipur and Samserganj seats in Murshidabad district. A total 6,97,164 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the three constituencies. Votes will be counted on October 3.
Ms Banerjee, who lost from the Nandigram constituency in the assembly elections earlier this year, has to win this by-poll to retain the chief minister's post.
Here are the highlights on Bhabanipur Bypoll:
#WATCH | West Bengal: A scuffle broke out between BJP and TMC supporters in Bhabanipur assembly constituency, where voting for the by-poll is underway today. BJP leader Kalyan Chaubey's car was allegedly vandalised. pic.twitter.com/TBiPFdsWlI
- ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2021
Trinamool Congress' Sovandeb Chatterjee, who had resigned as an MLA from Bhabanipur so that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee could contest from the seat for bypolls, casts his vote. "It's my pleasure to vote for her (Mamata Banerjee). She will win," he says pic.twitter.com/Yaw2uJpWJH
- ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2021
West Bengal: Voter turnout of 40.23%, 36.11% and 21.73% were recorded till 11 am in Samserganj, Jangipur polls and Bhabanipur bypoll, respectively
- ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2021
(File pic) pic.twitter.com/8YXRRsoE0A
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and TMC candidate for Bhabanipur bypoll leaves from Mitra Institution - a polling booth in the assembly constituency - after casting her vote. pic.twitter.com/ykhQS44npd
- ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2021
West Bengal | ISKCON Temple monks cast their votes for Bhabanipur bypolls at La Martiniere School, Kolkata. "It's an important vote, it will decide the Chief Minister of the state. People should come forward and vote," a devotee says pic.twitter.com/U8BBfP6r8R
- ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2021
#WestBengalBypolls | Polling underway in Murshidabad for Jangipur constituency, in compliance with COVID norms
- ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2021
(Visuals from booth no. 72 & 72A in Ramjanpur Primary School) pic.twitter.com/SVf561F2Rr
Madan Mitra (TMC MLA) has purposely shut the voting machine here as he wants to capture the booth: Priyanka Tibrewal, BJP candidate for Bhabanipur by-poll at polling booth of ward number 72 pic.twitter.com/lFB5hQytTY
- ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2021
#WestBengalBypolls | Polling begins in Bhabanipur, polling is scheduled to end at 6:30 pm, according to State CEO
- ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2021
(Visuals from Mitra Institution polling booth) pic.twitter.com/fgW9fvMsbb
#WestBengalBypolls | Security deployment at a polling booth of ward number 71 in Bhabanipur
- ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2021
Besides Bhabanipur, bypolls will also be held in Shamsherganj and Jangipur in the Murshidabad district. pic.twitter.com/P1HAShSrRX
A temporary polling booth set up at ward number 71 in Bhabanipur for ladies and senior citizens ahead of #WestBengalBypolls
- ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2021
Polling to begin at 7 am and end at 6 pm. pic.twitter.com/NgqBj9OovI
WB | Bhabanipur set for bypoll today, polling to begin at 7 am and end at 6 pm
- ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2021
Bhabanipur constituency will today seal the fate of TMC leader Mamata Banerjee, who is looking to enter the state Assembly before end of her 6 month period of Chief Ministership-without-being-an-MLA. pic.twitter.com/uFbYEGRmsx
