Jalandhar, A voter turnout of 34.40 per cent was recorded till 1 pm in Jalandhar West assembly constituency in Punjab on Wednesday.
The seat is witnessing a multi-party contest, with major political parties such as the ruling AAP, Congress and BJP competing to outdo each other.
Amid tight security measures, voting began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm, officials said. Votes will be counted on July 13.
A voter turnout of 34.40 per cent was recorded till 1 pm, according to the Voter Participation app of the Election Commission of India.
Fifteen candidates are in the running in the by-elections.
Speaking to reporters, Congress candidate Surinder Kaur slammed the AAP government in Punjab and claimed that people were fed up with it and would teach it a lesson in the by-elections.
AAP candidate Mohinder Bhagat exuded confidence that people would ensure victory for his party in the Jalandhar West seat.
In many polling stations, plants were given to voters who exercised their right to vote.
There are 1,71,963 eligible voters: 89,629 men, 82,326 women and eight voters of the third gender.
There are 874 voters of Persons with Disabilities (PwD) category for whom arrangements have been made for wheelchairs and pick-up and drop-off facilities, officials said.
In total, 181 polling stations have been installed.
The Jalandhar West assembly seat fell vacant after Sheetal Angural resigned as an AAP legislator and joined the BJP in March.
Bhagat, son of former minister Bhagat Chunni Lal, and Surinder Kaur, former deputy mayor, have been fielded by the AAP and the Congress, respectively, against the BJP's Angural.
Although the Shiromani Akali Dal had fielded Surjit Kaur for the bypoll, he later withdrew his support and disowned her amid continuing party infighting.
Later, the SAD announced its decision to support BSP candidate Binder Kumar for the by-election.
The bypoll is seen as a litmus test for Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann after the AAP's poor showing in the recent Lok Sabha polls. The AAP won only three of Punjab's 13 parliamentary constituencies.
The stakes are also high for the main opposition party, the Congress, which would want its candidate to register victory after winning seven of the 13 Lok Sabha constituencies.
Prestige is also at stake for the BJP, which also wants to taste victory from the Jalandhar West seat after drawing a blank in the state in the Lok Sabha polls.
The seat is witnessing a multi-party contest, with major political parties such as the ruling AAP, Congress and BJP competing to outdo each other.
Amid tight security measures, voting began at 7 am and will continue till 6 pm, officials said. Votes will be counted on July 13.
A voter turnout of 34.40 per cent was recorded till 1 pm, according to the Voter Participation app of the Election Commission of India.
Fifteen candidates are in the running in the by-elections.
Speaking to reporters, Congress candidate Surinder Kaur slammed the AAP government in Punjab and claimed that people were fed up with it and would teach it a lesson in the by-elections.
AAP candidate Mohinder Bhagat exuded confidence that people would ensure victory for his party in the Jalandhar West seat.
In many polling stations, plants were given to voters who exercised their right to vote.
There are 1,71,963 eligible voters: 89,629 men, 82,326 women and eight voters of the third gender.
There are 874 voters of Persons with Disabilities (PwD) category for whom arrangements have been made for wheelchairs and pick-up and drop-off facilities, officials said.
In total, 181 polling stations have been installed.
The Jalandhar West assembly seat fell vacant after Sheetal Angural resigned as an AAP legislator and joined the BJP in March.
Bhagat, son of former minister Bhagat Chunni Lal, and Surinder Kaur, former deputy mayor, have been fielded by the AAP and the Congress, respectively, against the BJP's Angural.
Although the Shiromani Akali Dal had fielded Surjit Kaur for the bypoll, he later withdrew his support and disowned her amid continuing party infighting.
Later, the SAD announced its decision to support BSP candidate Binder Kumar for the by-election.
The bypoll is seen as a litmus test for Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann after the AAP's poor showing in the recent Lok Sabha polls. The AAP won only three of Punjab's 13 parliamentary constituencies.
The stakes are also high for the main opposition party, the Congress, which would want its candidate to register victory after winning seven of the 13 Lok Sabha constituencies.
Prestige is also at stake for the BJP, which also wants to taste victory from the Jalandhar West seat after drawing a blank in the state in the Lok Sabha polls.
