Bengal bypoll: 51% votes cast till 1 pm in Dhupguri assembly seat

Jalpaiguri: Around 51 per cent of voting was recorded in the by-election to the Dhupguri assembly seat in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district till 1 pm, an official said.

Polling began amid tight security at 7 am across 260 booths in the constituency, he said.

"Around 51 per cent of votes were cast till 1 pm. Tight security measures are in place and there is an adequate number of forces,” the Election Commission official told PTI.

All the booths are manned by central paramilitary forces, and the casting of votes will continue till 6.30 pm, he said.

CPI (M)'s Ishwar Chandra Roy is contesting as the candidate of the Congress-Left alliance, while the ruling TMC has fielded Nirmal Chandra Roy, a teacher by profession.

The BJP has nominated Tapasi Roy, the widow of a CRPF jawan who died fighting terrorists in Kashmir a few years back.

The bypoll to the seat was necessitated due to the death of sitting BJP MLA Bishu Pada Ray earlier this year.

Left-Congress alliance candidate Ishwar Chandra Roy exercised his franchise at a booth in Barogharia Gram Panchayat, while Trinamool Congress nominee Nirmal Chandra Roy did it at a booth in Jhar Alta Gram Panchayat.

BJP candidate Tapasi Roy cast her vote at Kamat Primary School in Kayet of Gadong Gram Panchayat.

Dhupguri, a scheduled caste-reserved seat, has nearly 50 per cent Rajbanshi people and 15 per cent minority population.

The BJP had snatched the constituency from the TMC in the 2021 assembly polls.

Votes will be counted on September 8.