Palakkad bypoll: Voting under way on a lively note

UDF, LDF, BJP battle it out for the Assembly seat. Palakkad goes to polls to replace Shafi Parambil as its representative in Kerala Assembly

Polling began on a lively note at 7 a.m. for the Assembly byelection in Palakkad on Wednesday (November 20). Palakkad is going to polls to find a replacement in the Assembly for Shafi Parambil, who vacated the seat after his election to the Lok Sabha from Vadakara in April this year. There are 1.94 lakh voters in Palakkad.

Election Commission officials said that polling started on time in 172 of the 184 booths set up across the constituency consisting of Palakkad Municipality, and the grama panchayats of Pirayiri, Mathur and Kannadi. At 12 booths, polling was delayed due to technical issues. Officials said the snag would be rectified soon.

Voters formed queues outside most polling booths when the ballot started. The prime candidates of the United Democratic Front (UDF), the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the BJP had reached their respective booths around 7 a.m.

The polling percentage touched 14.26% at 10 a.m., three hours after the process began.

Long queues of voters were seen outside most polling stations in Palakkad Municipality and the grama panchayats of Mathur, Pirayiri and Kannadi, which comprise the Palakkad Assembly constituency.

NDA candidate C. Krishnakumar cast his ballot along with his wife Mini at booth number 25 at Government Lower Primary School, Ayyapuram, Kalpathy.

LDF candidate P. Sarin returned without casting his vote as the VVPAT machine at booth number 88 at True Line Public School, Manappullikkavu, developed a technical snag. The snag was rectified by 7.45 a.m. and Dr. Sarin would return to vote later.

UDF candidate Rahul Mamkootathil does not have a vote in Palakkad.

As many as 736 poll officials were deployed to manage the 184 polling booths. The Election Commission is ensuring live web-streaming of the polling from all polling booths, with the senior officials monitoring the proceedings from a control room at the Collectorate.

Additional security personnel were deployed at the seven critical booths and 58 sensitive booths.

Government offices and educational institutions in Palakkad constituency have been given a holiday in view of the byelection. Moreover, it is a dry day for Palakkad.

Published - November 20, 2024 08:17 am IST