20 per cent polling has been recorded till 12 PM, she said, adding, it could pick up by afternoon, she said.
Congress nominee Saket Bahuguna is locked in a straight contest with BJP's Mala Raj Laxmi Shah in the prestigious constituency which fell vacant after his father and Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna resigned from the seat following his victory from Sitarganj Assembly constituency.
A total of 11,85,606 voters, including 5,63,845 women will decide the fate of 14 candidates in the fray for the bypoll.
2011 polling booths have been set up out of which 334 have been identified as hyper sensitive and 311 as sensitive.
Elaborate security arrangements have been made to ensure peaceful, free and fair polling, official sources said.
Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna, who cast his vote at a booth in Defence colony here appealed to voters to turn up in large numbers at polling booths and exercise their franchise.
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Saket also asked the electorate to exercise their franchise with greater enthusiasm.
State BJP Chief Bishan Singh Chufal said though voter turnout was not so impressive as yet it could increase as the day advanced.