Gujarat by-polls: 49 % voting in by-polls, lowest in Narendra Modi's constituency

Forty nine % turn-out was on Saturday recorded in the byelections to the Lok Sabha seat vacated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and nine assembly seats in Gujarat. Polling was peaceful barring some minor incidents.

"Gujarat has registered an approximate 49 % voter turn-out," a statement from the Election Commission said. In the last assembly election in 2012, the turn-out was 71.32 %, while that in 2014 Lok Sabha elections was 63.31 %.

Vadodara Lok Sabha constituency, where bypoll became necessary after Modi decided to retain Varanasi seat, registered 43.5 % polling, as against 70.75 % in April. 

Maninagar in Ahmedabad, from where Modi resigned as MLA, registered the lowest polling amongst the nine assembly seats at 33.5 %. Limkheda seat in tribal Dahod district registered the highest polling at 64 %. Other assembly constituencies with polling figures: Deesa (59.76 %), Tankara (57 %), Khambhalia (55.5 %), Mangrol (57 %), Talja (49 %), Anand (57 %) and Matar (54.7 %).

A scuffle took place between Congress workers and jawans of Border Security Force at Maliya-Hatina in Mangrol. BJP filed a complaint of poll code violation against Congress candidates Kanti Sodha Parmar (Anand), Jatin Kella (Maninagar) and Chhatrasinh Meda (Limkheda) for allegedly entering the polling booth wearing scarfs bearing the Congress symbol.

Congress candidate from Vadodara Lok Sabha seat Narendra Ravat sparked a controversy by clicking a selfie showing his ink-marked finger outside the polling booth and displaying the party symbol after casting his vote.

The assembly by-elections were necessitated after sitting BJP MLAs were elected to Lok Sabha.