Uttarakhand: Over 47 per cent voter turnout in Pithoragarh bypoll

Over 47per cent of the electorate cast their vote in the Pithoragarh assembly bypoll on Monday.

The polling was held peacefully and 47.48 per cent of the electorate cast their vote by 5 pm, Pithoragarh District Magistrate-cum-Returning Officer VK Jogdande said.

Residents of Deodar village boycotted the bypoll, citing non-fulfilment of their demand for a link road.

Despite much persuasion by officials, none of the461 voters in the village turned up to vote, Assistant Returning Officer Vidya SagarKapri said.

The counting will be held on November 28.

A total of 145 polling booths were set up in the constituency for 1,05,711 voters.

The polling in the constituency began at 8 am.

The seat had fallen vacant after the death of sitting MLA and Cabinet Minister Prakash Pant in June.

Pant's wife Chandra is taking on Congress' Anju Lunthi in the bypoll.

Samajwadi Party's Lalit Mohan Bhatt is the third contestant.