<p>Around 37.61 per cent of the total 1.35 lakh electors exercised their franchise in the first four hours of polling for by-elections to four assembly seats in Manipur on Saturday, amid tight security and strict adherence to the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/coronavirus-live-news-covid-19-latest-updates.html" target="_blank">Covid-19</a> protocol, an Election Commission official said.</p>.<p>Polling began at 7 am and no untoward incident has been reported so far, he said.</p>.<p>An estimated 37.61 per cent electors cast their ballots till 11 am in 203 polling stations, the EC official said.</p>.<p>More than 1.35 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the bypolls to Lilong and Wangjing-Tentha seats in Thoubal district, Saitu in Kangpokpi and Wangoi in Imphal West, he said.</p>.<p>The voters will decide the fate of 11 candidates in the four seats.</p>.<p>The by-elections were necessitated after Congress MLAs of the four constituencies had resigned from the state Legislative Assembly and also quit the party. They had joined the BJP.</p>.<p>The ruling BJP is contesting in three seats and supporting an independent candidate in Lilong assembly segment, while the opposition Congress is in the fray in all four constituencies.</p>.<p>The Wangoi assembly segment will witness an interesting battle as the National People's Party (NPP), a coalition partner of the BJP-led government in the state, has fielded its candidate against the nominees of the Congress and the saffron camp.</p>.<p>All safety measures are in place as the voting is taking place in the midst of the raging Covid-19, the official said.</p>.<p>Electors with Covid-19 related symptoms will be allowed to vote in the last hour of the poll. All polling personnel have been provided with personal protection equipment (PPE).</p>.<p>Polling will continue till 5 pm, and counting of votes will be conducted on November 10. </p>
<p>Around 37.61 per cent of the total 1.35 lakh electors exercised their franchise in the first four hours of polling for by-elections to four assembly seats in Manipur on Saturday, amid tight security and strict adherence to the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/coronavirus-live-news-covid-19-latest-updates.html" target="_blank">Covid-19</a> protocol, an Election Commission official said.</p>.<p>Polling began at 7 am and no untoward incident has been reported so far, he said.</p>.<p>An estimated 37.61 per cent electors cast their ballots till 11 am in 203 polling stations, the EC official said.</p>.<p>More than 1.35 lakh voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the bypolls to Lilong and Wangjing-Tentha seats in Thoubal district, Saitu in Kangpokpi and Wangoi in Imphal West, he said.</p>.<p>The voters will decide the fate of 11 candidates in the four seats.</p>.<p>The by-elections were necessitated after Congress MLAs of the four constituencies had resigned from the state Legislative Assembly and also quit the party. They had joined the BJP.</p>.<p>The ruling BJP is contesting in three seats and supporting an independent candidate in Lilong assembly segment, while the opposition Congress is in the fray in all four constituencies.</p>.<p>The Wangoi assembly segment will witness an interesting battle as the National People's Party (NPP), a coalition partner of the BJP-led government in the state, has fielded its candidate against the nominees of the Congress and the saffron camp.</p>.<p>All safety measures are in place as the voting is taking place in the midst of the raging Covid-19, the official said.</p>.<p>Electors with Covid-19 related symptoms will be allowed to vote in the last hour of the poll. All polling personnel have been provided with personal protection equipment (PPE).</p>.<p>Polling will continue till 5 pm, and counting of votes will be conducted on November 10. </p>