ITANAGAR, Oct 21 - More than 89 per cent turnout was recorded in the bye-election to Khonsa West Assembly Constituency in Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh on Monday.
�Polling was by and large peaceful. The poll percentage was very high. Around 89.2 per cent polling was recorded in Khonsa West constituency,� Joint Chief Electoral Officer DJ Bhattacharjee said here on Monday evening. He said the figure was likely to increase after the final compilation of the election data.
Polling started at 7 am on a brisk note amid tight security arrangements, with voters turning out in large numbers to decide the fate of two independent candidates � Chakat Aboh and Azet Homtok. Polling was held in 23 polling stations. A total of 10,186 voters were eligible to exercise their franchise. Counting of votes will take place on October 24 from 8 am, Bhattacharjee said.
Chakat Aboh, the wife of slain National People�s Party (NPP) leader Tirong Aboh, is being backed by five major political parties, including the ruling BJP and opposition Congress.
The bye-election to Khonsa West was necessitated after Tirong Aboh, who contested the April 11 Assembly election as an NPP nominee and got re-elected from the seat, was gunned down by suspected NSCN militants in Tirap district on May 21, two days ahead of the poll results.
