46.3% turnout in civic ward bypoll

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 21

The bypoll to Sarai Pipal Thala ward of North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) today witnessed a drop in polling percentage of 14 per cent as compared to 2012 MCD elections.

The polling for the ward was recorded 46.3 per cent. It began from 8 am and went on till 5:30 pm, said an official of the Delhi State Election Commission.

Voting had started on a slow pace with just 8.59 per cent of the votes cast till 10 am. While the ward has over 53,000 registered voters, a total of 24,739 voters, comprising 13,116 males and 11,623 females cast their votes in the bypoll.

The voting was generally peaceful except some disruption due to power failure at 57 polling booths because of dust storm and rain in the final hour of polling, said the official.

The voting percentage of the ward in the 2012 MCD poll was 60.6 per cent. 

The by-election this time saw a decline of over 14 per cent votes.

Polling in Sarai Pipal Thala and Maujpur wards was postponed due to death of candidates there. Voting for the rest of 270 wards in three municipal corporations was held on April 23 and the results were announced on April 26.

In Sarai Pipal Thala ward, Samajwadi Party candidate Dinesh Singh died resulting in the bypoll. His son Himanshu is in the fray from the party.

Sarai Pipal ward is currently under the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). The front runners in the election include Mohammad Sarif (BSP), former leader of opposition in NDMC Mukesh Goel (Congress), Mangat Ram (BJP) and Rajeev Bansal (AAP).

Counting of votes for both the wards will take place on May 23.