Vadodara, July 30 (SocialNews.XYZ) Polling in the by-election to Gujarat's Manjalpur Assembly constituency continued peacefully on Thursday, with 21.66 per cent voter turnout recorded by 2 p.m., according to figures released by the Election Commission of India (ECI).
The latest turnout marks a steady rise in voting during the day after the constituency recorded 6.06 per cent polling by 10 a.m. and 14.27 per cent by 12.30 p.m.
Voters who exercised their franchise during the morning hours described the polling process as orderly and hassle-free.
"I have cast my vote today. There was hardly any crowd in the morning, and the arrangements were very good. I did not face any inconvenience," one voter said after casting the ballot.
Another voter said, "Voting for the by-election began early this morning. I came here at 7 a.m. and cast my vote."
The by-election is being held following the death of veteran BJP MLA and former minister Yogesh Patel, creating a vacancy in the Manjalpur Assembly constituency in Vadodara district.
A total of 2,19,494 voters are eligible to cast their ballots, including 1,11,645 men, 1,07,847 women and two third-gender voters. The electoral roll also comprises 1,634 Persons with Disabilities (PwD), 1,406 senior citizens aged 85 years and above, and 12 centenarian voters.
Ahead of polling day, 107 electors, including 90 senior citizens, voted from their homes through the ballot paper facility.
The contest is a direct fight between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress.
The BJP has fielded Satish Patel, a former Vadodara Municipal Corporation councillor and former BJP Vadodara district president, while the Congress has nominated senior leader Bhikha Rabari, the party's Gujarat vice-president and a former state minister.
Polling is being conducted at 260 polling stations spread across 62 locations. All polling stations have been equipped with essential facilities, including ramps, drinking water, electricity and toilets.
Two polling stations are being managed entirely by women personnel, two by Persons with Disabilities staff, and five have been designated as model polling stations.
The Election Commission has introduced several technology-driven measures for the bypoll.
All 260 polling stations are covered by 100 per cent live webcasting and CCTV surveillance, while mobile deposit counters have been established outside polling stations for voters to leave their mobile phones before entering.
Presiding Officers are updating polling figures every two hours through the ECINET application.
For election management, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Makarpura has been designated as the dispatch centre, receipt centre, strong room and counting centre.
The Manjalpur constituency recorded a 60.15 per cent voter turnout in the 2022 Gujarat Assembly election.
Polling will continue until the scheduled closing time, while counting of votes is scheduled for August 3.
Source: IANS
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