MP bypoll: 56.62 pc polling in Jhabua till 3 pm

Around 56.62 per cent polling was recorded till 3 pm in the by-election to Jhabua Assembly seat in Madhya Pradesh on Monday, an official said.

Jhabua Collector Prabal Sipaha told PTI that polling was progressing peacefully, adding a VVPAT (voter verifiable paper audit trail) unit was changed at one booth due to some technical problem.

"Around 56.62 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 3 pm," another official said, adding that queues were witnessed at a number of polling booths.

The Congress has fielded former Union minister Kantilal Bhuria (68) from the seat against BJP's Bhanu Bhuria, who is contesting his maiden election.

In the morning, Kantilal Bhuria and his family members cast their votes at a polling booth in Jhabua city, while the BJP nominee voted at Dotad village in the district.

BJP leader G S Damor defeated Kantilal Bhuria's son Vikrant Bhuria of the Congress in the Assembly polls last year. Later, Damor contested the Lok Sabha election from Ratlam seat where he defeated Kantilal Bhuria.

Damor subsequently resigned as MLA from Jhabua, which necessitated the by-election.