The byelection in the Puthuppally Assembly constituency, where the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) are locked in a high-stakes battle, registered a rather moderate voter turnout on Tuesday.
As per the provisional estimates released by the district election authority, the segment recorded a polling percentage of 72.91. Of the total 1,76,417 voters in the constituency, 1,28,624 voters exercised their voting rights, of which 64,084 were male and 64,538 were female. The final figure, however, will be released only later.
In the 2021 election, the voter turnout was 74.9% while it was 77.4% in 2016.
The polling on the day began on a brisk note with the first three hours recording around 20% polling. Although it witnessed a lull around midday, the momentum picked up again in the afternoon as voters braved the intermittent showers to queue up in front of polling booths. All voters who reached the polling station by 6 p.m. were allowed to exercise their franchise.
Among those who cast the vote in the first few hours include LDF candidate Jaick C. Thomas, UDF candidate Chandy Oommen and Cooperation Minister V.N. Vasavan. A native of Kaduthuruthy, National Democratic Alliance candidate G. Lijin Lal did not have vote in Puthuppally.
The major coalitions, meanwhile, chose to decode the turnout as a trend in their favour.
Barring a minor altercation between UDF and LDF workers in front of a polling booth at Kooroppada, the byelection was by and large peaceful. Meanwhile, some technical faults with the electronic voting machines caused delays in the polling at various booths.
As some voters returned without casting their votes following a long queue at booth number 88 in Manarcaud, the UDF candidate lodged a complaint with the District Election Officer and District Collector V. Vigneswari. The Collector, however, dismissed reports of technical fault with the EVM and said the reason for the delay in the polling would be ascertained.
The byelection was necessitated by the demise of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on July 18 . A total of seven candidates were in the fray, with the candidates fielded by the UDF, LDF and the NDA leading the pack.
The contest had turned fierce with the three major contenders bringing in their entire leadership for canvassing on the ground.
