After the high-octane campaign lasting over three weeks, polling in the Puthuppally Assembly segment in Kottayam has begun on a positive note at 7 a.m. on September 5 with voters turning out in huge numbers.
As per official estimates, as many as 35,889 persons or 20.34% of the total electorate cast their votes in the first three hours after the polling began. Out of this, 19,157 are male voters and 16,732 are females.
The authorities have set up web-casting facilities in all 182 booths in the Assembly segment to monitor the proceedings from a control room. The proceedings began with a mock polling earlier in the day.
As many as 675 officials including 64 central Armed Police Force personnel have been deployed across the constituency to ensure security.
Also read | Parties’ Lok Sabha poll strategies likely to depend on Puthuppally result
The by-poll was necessitated by the death of Oommen Chandy, a former Chief Minister and Congress veteran who represented the seat for a record 53-years long period, on July 18.
While the Congress-led United Democratic Front has fielded his son Chandy Oommen, the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front has fielded Jaick C. Thomas, who had unsuccessfully contested from the seat in 2016 and 2021. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance has fielded G. Lijin Lal as its candidate.
Mr. Thomas cast his vote at the Government LP School, Manarcad, in the morning while Chandy Oommen cast his vote at the Georgian School, Puthuppally. Cooperation Minister V. N. Vasavan cast his vote at the MGM Higher Secondary School, Pampady.
