Uttarakhand bypolls: 68.24% polling in Manglaur, 49.80% in Badrinath

Dehradun: A voter turnout of 68.24 per cent was recorded in Manglaur assembly bypoll and 49.80 per cent in Badrinath assembly bypoll in Uttarakhand, according to Election Commission data.

Polling was held in the two assembly constituencies on Wednesday.

The Manglaur bypoll was necessitated by the death of sitting BSP MLA Sarwat Karim Ansari in October last year. The Badrinath seat fell vacant after sitting Congress MLA Rajendra Bhandari resigned and switched to the BJP in March this year.

According to the latest figures issued by the Election Commission, 68.24 per cent polling was recorded in Manglaur and 49.80 per cent in Badrinath.

Ansari's son Ubedur Rehman contested against Congress' Qazi Nizamuddin in Manglaur, where four people were injured in clashes between supporters of rival political parties on Wednesday.

The BJP has fielded Gujjar leader Kartar Singh Bhadana from the Muslim-dominated constituency which has never been won by the saffron party.

In Badrinath, there was a direct contest between BJP's Rajendra Bhandari and Congress newcomer Lakhpat Singh Butola.

The fate of 10 candidates was sealed in the EVMs in Manglaur and that of four in Badrinath.

Votes for the bypolls will be announced on July 13.