More than 83 per cent turnout was recorded in the bypoll at Serchhip Assembly seat in Mizoram on Saturday.
The election witnessed cornered where the disqualified incumbent MLA Lalduhoma of Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) is locking horns with two giant rivals- Vanlalzawma of ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) and Congress’s PC Laltlansanga.
An election official said that the voting percentage at 7 pm was 83.8, which could increase as detailed reports are awaited.
He said that polling began at 7 am and ended peacefully at 7 pm.
There was no untoward incident except a few erroneous EVM was replaced, which is a common incident in almost every election, he said.
Of the 176 voters like COvid-19 suspect and patients, senior citizens and differently able persons, who used postal ballots, 167 have polled, he said.
The bypoll was necessitated by the disqualification of incumbent MLA Lalduhoma under the anti-defection law in November last year.
There are 19,520 electorates, including 10,329 female voters in Serchhip constituency.
Apart from this, there are 198 service voters, the official said.
Meanwhile, MNF’s nominee Vanlalzawma said that the ruling factor will help him win the bypoll.
He said that his party leadership in Aizawl in particular and the people, in general, gave him strong support.
Lalduhoma also exuded hope that he will retain the seat and win by a margin higher than that of the 2018 figure.
He claimed that people kept themselves bound to cast their votes in order to bring justice to him.
Congress, BJP, the People’s Conference and an independent candidate were also in the fray.
The counting of votes will take place on May 2.