New Delhi:
Bypolls in Mungaoli and Kolaras Assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh recorded 77.05 per cent and 77.40 per cent voter turnout, respectively at the end of the day. The polls were being keenly contested by the ruling BJP and its rival party Congress.
Voting in the two seats, which began at 8 am, was peaceful by and large but sporadic clashes between the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party workers in Digoda village, Kolaras created some nuisance during the process.
Police station in-charge in Mungaoli, Kushal Singh Bhadoria, was removed from his post, the official said, adding that Risheshwar Singh has replaced Bhadoria.
Chief Election Officer Saleena Singh has requested voters to maintain peace and exercise their right to vote without fear.
Both the seats are part of the Guna Lok Sabha constituency, represented by senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Thirteen candidates have thrown their hats in the election arena in Mungaoli, while 22 candidates are trying their luck in Kolaras.
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Kolaras and Mungaoli have 2,44,457 and 1,91,009 eligible voters, respectively.
There was a public holiday in both places in view of the poll process which took place from 8 AM to 5 PM on Saturday.
Some 3,000 poll officials were deployed to conduct the process at 575 polling stations, the EC official said.
The bypolls were necessitated due to the death of Congress MLAs Mahendra Singh Kalukheda (Mungaoli) and Ram Singh Yadav (Kolaras).
#MadhyaPradesh: 77.05% voting turnout recorded in Mungaoli by-polls
— ANI (@ANI) February 24, 2018
#MadhyaPradesh: 70.40% voting turnout recorded in Kolaras by-polls
— ANI (@ANI) February 24, 2018
These bypolls are being seen as a prestige battle for Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who is in his third term as Chief Minister, and his arch-rival Jyotiraditya Scindia of the Congress.
The two assembly segments are parts of Scindia's Guna Lok Sabha constituency.
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The votes will be counted on February 28 and the results will be declared the same day, the EC said.
Electronic voting machines (EVMs) and voter-verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) machines are being used at all polling booths. Some 15 and 17 machines were replaced in Kolaras and Mungaoli, respectively.
(With agency inputs)