Ranchi, Nov 30 (IANS) Over 60 percent voter turnout was Wednesday registered in the Mandu assembly constituency of Jharkhand where bypoll was held amid tight security as many booths are located in Maoist-affected areas.

‘Around 61 percent polling took place in the Mandu by-poll. Polling was peaceful,’ a Jharkhand election commission official told IANS.

Voting took place in 400 polling booths, of which 152 were marked as sensitive. Polling was slow in the initial hours but gained momentum in the afternoon and voters turned up in large numbers at polling booths.

A total of 22 candidates are in the fray. Counting will take place Dec 4.

The key contest is among the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), the Congress and the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P). The parties have fielded Jay Prakash Patel, Kumar Mahesh Singh and Manish Jaiswal, respectively. The seat fell vacant after the death of JMM legislator Teklal Mahto.

Many booths are situated in Maoist-hit areas. Paramilitary and state forces were deployed at sensitive booths. Helicopters were kept on standby for any emergency.

Ranchi, Nov 30 (IANS) Over 60 percent voter turnout was Wednesday registered in the Mandu assembly constituency of Jharkhand where bypoll was held amid tight security as many booths are located in Maoist-affected areas.

‘Around 61 percent polling took place in the Mandu by-poll. Polling was peaceful,’ a Jharkhand election commission official told IANS.

Voting took place in 400 polling booths, of which 152 were marked as sensitive. Polling was slow in the initial hours but gained momentum in the afternoon and voters turned up in large numbers at polling booths.

A total of 22 candidates are in the fray. Counting will take place Dec 4.

The key contest is among the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), the Congress and the Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P). The parties have fielded Jay Prakash Patel, Kumar Mahesh Singh and Manish Jaiswal, respectively. The seat fell vacant after the death of JMM legislator Teklal Mahto.

Many booths are situated in Maoist-hit areas. Paramilitary and state forces were deployed at sensitive booths. Helicopters were kept on standby for any emergency.