20% polling till mid-day in bypolls

Around 20 per cent polling was recorded till mid-day in the by-elections to one Lok Sabha and 31 Assembly seats spread over seven states today.

The polling was peaceful as security forces and para military personnel kept a strict vigil in the poll-bound constituencies.

In Firozabad Lok Sabha seat, where Congress candidate Raj Babbar is pitted against Mulayam Singh Yadav's daughter-in-law Dimple, 18 per cent polling was registered whereas in 11 Assembly seats in the state, the turnout was over 15 per cent.

Barring minor complaints related to electronic voting machines at some places, polling was by and large smooth.

The lone Lok Sabha by-election in the state has been necessitated after Akhilesh Yadav, son of the SP chief, vacated the seat and retained Kannauj.

The SP has virtually signalled the end of it ties with Congress and criticised Rahul Gandhi for campaigning against Dimple, saying the move was "against political courtesy".

In West Bengal, a turnout of 23 per cent was recorded in the byelections to ten assembly seats, state chief election officer Debasish Sen said.

Byelections to nine seats are being held as MLAs from these seats have been elected as members of Parliament in the last Lok Sabha elections, while in one seat, it is due to the death of state's former transport minister Subhas Chakraborty.

Tight security arrangements have been made for the bypolls with 400 personnel of central forces have been deployed to ensure peaceful elections in the state, which has been witnessing frequent political clashes.