Bhopal, Apr 12: About 55.90 per cent of the nearly 11 lakh electorate exercised their franchise on Saturday for the Lok Sabha by-election in Madhya Pradesh's Betul constituency. According to the Chief Election Officer's office, no untoward incident was reported during the polling.
Betul parliamentary constituency comprises eight Assembly segments. Highest turnout of 59 per cent was reported in Amla segment, Betul (56.6), Masaud (56), Bhainsdehi (55), Ghodadongri (54.6), Multai (54), Harda (54) and Timarni (54). The polling started on a dull note in the morning and only 17 percent polling was recorded till noon. Polling began on a dull note and 14 percent of the electorate in Ghodadongri Assembly segment had cast their votes by 1100 hours, while lowest turnout of 7 percent during the period was reported in Multai area, the sources added. About 12 percent polling was reported in Harda, 11 percent in Timarni and 7.50 percent in Bhainsdehi.
It, however, picked up gradually and there was a huge rush of voters at almost all the booths after 3.30 pm. A total of 14 candidates, including Hemanth Khandelwal of the BJP, Sukhdeo Panse of the Congress and Sunilam of the Samajwadi Party were in the fray. Polling was held at 1,219 polling centres, of which 331 were declared sensitive. Eight battalions of the Special Armed Force (SAF) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), besides more than 3,000 men of the state police were deployed to ensure free and fair poll. Twenty-four teams comprising gazetted police officers were also put on poll duty. Counting would take place April 16 and the results are expected the same day. The by-election was necessitated after the death of Member of Parliament Vijay Khandelwal on November 13, 2007. Betul parliamentary constituency is considered stronghold of BJP.