In a high turnout, around 80 percent of 2,28,264 voters have exercised franchise in the bye-poll to the Anta assembly segment in Baran district of Rajasthan on Tuesday to lock in the EVMs fate of 15 contestants.
It was the modest, but smooth beginning of the polling at 268 polling centers in this assembly constituency of the South-eastern Rajasthan at 07:00am, however, it gained momentum later setting a brisk pace in the voting.
This is evident from the fact that in the first two hours a low 5.26 percent votes were polled, this figure rose to an estimated 30 percent by 11:00am, 47 percent at 01:00 pm, around 63 percent till 03:00pm and over 77 percent till 05:00pm.
Though official poll figures are yet to be released, it is being claimed that this would touch an all time high mark of 80.30 percent recording in the December 2023 assembly polls in this assembly segment.
Barring a poll boycott call by denizens of Sankali village and dharna for brief duration by Independent contestant Naresh Meena, the polling progressed and concluded smoothly at 06:00pm.
Despite high polling, the situation outside was manageable as there were no long queues of people going into the booth and casting votes without much waiting period after 01:00pm.
Parliamentary Affairs and Law Minister Jogaram Patel said “Polling was so smoothly conducted that not even a single formal complaint of any irregularity was filed by any one.
This also reflects on people’s faith and confidence in the BJP led government’s management and functioning in the state, Patel said, claiming indirectly the party nominee’s win.
Likewise, the Congress candidate Pramod Jain Bhaya also claimed “We are winning this election, frustrated by our edge (lead) the ruling party poll managers are trying to resort to unfair means – irregularities”.
He called up the party booth level teams to maintain extra alert, not to give a chance for misadventure to BJP workers.
Despite claims of victory by rival parties, this high turnout of voters will force all to “keep figures crossed” until the counting of votes on November 14.
This otherwise smooth polling process was marred by villagers of Sankali village who boycotted polling for the unfulfilled demand of repairing of the approach roads to their village.
The denizens of the village that has around 800 eligible voters had conveyed in writing to the district administration that they would not cast votes for want of proper approach roads to the village.
The authorities this morning went to Sankali to persuade them to cast votes but they did not relent, in want of written commitment from officials, the efforts – pursuance did not succeed.
However, an election office spokesperson claimed that one vote was cast in the Sankali village polling booth, despite the boycott call.
The by-election on this assembly seat of the South Eastern Rajasthan, is necessitated following disqualification of BJP MLA Kanwar Lal Meena in an old criminal case.
The voting locked into EVMs the fate of 15 contestants including Morpal Suman (BJP), Pramod Jain Bhaya (Congress), Naresh Meena (IND).