MLC bypoll records impressive 99.07% voter turnout

The byelection to Legislative Council from local bodies of Vijayapura and Bagalkot districts, the polling for which was held in 38 booths, went off peacefully on Thursday.

The constituency recorded a voter turnout of 99.07%.

In the polling booth established at the ZP office here, Union Minister of State for Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Ramesh Jigajinagi, MLAs M B Patil, B R Patil Yatnal, Devanand Chavan, MLC Arun Shahapur, Mayor Sridevi Logavi and others exercised their franchise.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Shivanand Patil could not vote as he had been to Bengaluru to attend the Cabinet meeting. District In-charge Minister M C Managuli, who is on a foreign tour, also did not vote.

The police had made elaborate security arrangements to ensure a free and smooth election. The voters were not allowed to carry any electronic devices including the mobile phones inside the polling stations.

The byelection was necessitated after the sitting MLC Basanagouda Patil Yatnal was elected as MLA from Vijayapura City.