ITANAGAR, Nov 19 - At least 72 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the bye-election to Hayuliang Assembly constituency in Arunachal Pradesh�s Anjaw district that went for polling on Saturday.
The turnout may go up further as final reports from remote places in the constituency were still awaited, said State�s Deputy Chief Electoral Officer DJ Bhattacharjee here this evening.
The polling was by and large peaceful in all 81 polling stations spread across the constituency, according to Bhattacharjee. He added that there was no report of any untoward incident from anywhere in the constituency.
The election authorities had made elaborate arrangements for the voting, which began at 7 am and continued till 4 pm. Apart from State police forces, additional two companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) were deployed to ensure peaceful conduct of the election.
In total, 11,003 voters, including 5,508 females, were eligible to exercise their franchise to decide the fate of the two female contestants in the fray � BJP�s Dasanglu Pul, wife of former Chief Minister Kalikho Pul, and Yompi Kri, Congress-backed Independent candidate.
In a bid to increase the polling percentage especially of females, the district election authorities had also set up women & model polling stations.
The bye-election to Hayuliang Assembly seat was necessitated after the unnatural death of former Chief Minister Kalikho Pul on August 9 last.
Counting of votes is scheduled to take place on November 22 next.
PTI adds: It is for the first time in the history of the State that both the contesting candidates including district electoral officer, returning officer and the general observers deputed by the Election Commission, are all women.
