Kottayam (Kerala), Sep 6 (PTI) The number of voters who turned up in the by-election for the Puthuppally Assembly seat in Kottayam district was slightly lesser than the around 74 per cent turnout seen in 2021 during the State assembly polls.
On Tuesday, after polling concluded, 72.86 per cent of the total registered 1,76,412 voters had exercised their franchise, according to the Chief Electoral Officer.
This was around a couple of per cent less than the around 74 per cent turnout seen in 2021.
At the close of polling, 1,28,624 people – 64,084 men, 64,538 women and two transgenders – had cast their votes.
In 2021, according to data on the Election Commission website, the total number of votes cast was 1,31,797.
The Congress-led UDF candidate Chandy Oommen, son of late Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, would attribute this to the slow or delayed polling in some select booths in the constituency.
He has alleged that the slow polling in those booths led to many voters returning home unwilling to wait for long in the queues.
The LDF, in response, termed his allegation as an “anticipatory bail” or an excuse in advance in apprehension of the possibility that the UDF might not emerge victorious.
State Cooperation Minister V N Vasavan was also of the view that the poll results would shock the UDF camp.
At the same time, Oommen was confident of emerging victorious even though he did not comment on what would be the margin of victory.
While Oommen had represented the Congress-led UDF, DYFI leader Jaick C Thomas was the ruling LDF’s choice and the BJP had fielded its district president G Lijinlal.
The assembly seat fell vacant after the death of Chandy who represented the constituency in Kottayam district for more than five decades without any break until his demise on July 18.
In the present composition of the 2021 Kerala Assembly with a total of 140 seats, the ruling LDF has 99, UDF has 40 with one seat vacant- Puthuppally. PTI HMP HMP SS
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