Biennial elections to Maharashtra Legislative Council for five Graduates and Teachers constituencies were held today with over 51 per cent of the electorate exercising their franchise.
The constituencies which went to polls are Amravati, Nashik (both graduates division), Nagpur, Aurangabad and Konkan (teachers division).
"51.41 per cent voters cast their votes till 2 pm. Final percentage of the polling till 5 pm will be available later," said an election official.
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Till 2 pm, Amravati constituency polled 40.46 per cent, while Nashik division polled 38.29 per cent. Nagpur teachers division polled 55.82 per cent, while Aurangabad registered 56.08 per cent and Konkan division polled 66.41 per cent, the official informed.
As many as 76 candidates are in fray for the five seats. Congress is contesting three seats -- Nashik graduates division (Sudhir Tambe), Amravati division (Sanjay Khodke) and Nagpur teachers seat (Anil Shinde).
NCP is contesting from Aurangabad teachers seat (Vikram Kale), while it has fielded Balaram Patil from Konkan seat.
Dattatraya Mhatre is contesting on Shiv Sena ticket from Konkan seat, while BJP supported candidate Ramnath Mote too is in the fray from the same division.
For Aurangabad teachers seat, Sena has fielded Vikram Kale. It is also contesting from Nagpur teachers constituency (Prakash Jadhao).
BJP has renominated minister of state for home Ranjit Patil in Amravati graduates seat, while Prashant Patil of BJP is in fray from Nashik graduates seat.
Counting of votes will take place on February 6.
The tenure of these five seats ends on December 5, 2016 but the election was postponed after Supreme Court directed that voter rolls in all teachers and graduates constituencies for the legislative councils be revised.
(Reopens BES24)
A report from Nashik said polling for graduates
constituency was held at 353 centres in districts of Nashik, Dhule, Nandurbar, Ahmednagar and Jalgaon.
48.06 per cent voting was recorded in Nashik, Ahmednagar registered 56.61 per cent, Jalgaon 58.01 per cent, Dhule 61.39 per cent and Nandurabr62.06per cent.
A total of seven candidates are in fray for the post, but the main tussle is between sitting congress MLC Sudhir Tambe, BJP's Prashant Patil and CPM's Raju Desale.
A report from Nagpur said polling for Teachers' Constituency was held in six districts of Vidarbha.
The polling was held at 124 centres in the districts of Nagpur, Bhandara, Chandrapur, Gondia, Gadchiroli and Wardha.
A total of 16 candidates are in fray for the Member of Legislative Council election.
According to District Information Office(DIO), Nagpur district recorded 78.54 voting percentage, Bhandara saw 86 per cent voting, while Chandrapur registered 89.38 per cent voting, Gondia recorded 90.25 per cent voting, while, Gadchiroli saw 88.43 per cent voting and Wardha registered 80.39 per cent voting.
