Gujarat: 49 per cent voting in by-polls to the LS seat vacated by Narendra Modi

AHMEDABAD: 49 per cent turn-out was today 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 per cent voter turn-out," a statement from the Election Commission said.

In the last assembly election in 2012, the turn-out was 71.32 per cent, while that in 2014 Lok Sabha elections was 63.31 per cent.

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

Maninagar in Ahmedabad, from where Modi resigned as MLA, registered the lowest polling amongst the nine assembly seats at 33.5 per cent.

Limkheda seat in tribal Dahod district registered the highest polling at 64 per cent. Other assembly constituencies with polling figures: Deesa (59.76 per cent), Tankara (57 per cent), Khambhalia (55.5 per cent), Mangrol (57 per cent), Talja (49 per cent), Anand (57 per cent) and Matar (54.7 per cent).

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.