Dehradun (Jammu and Kashmir): Voting began for the assembly by-polls for Badrinath and Mangalore assembly seats in Uttarakhand on Wednesday amid tight security arrangements.
An official said that a total of 210 polling stations have been set up in Badrinath assembly seat and 132 polling stations in Mangalore assembly. Voting started at 8 AM and will continue till 6 PM.
The by-polls to the Badrinath assembly seat of Chamoli district was necessitated after the resignation of Congress MLA Rajendra Bhandari and his joining the BJP. Rajendra Bhandari, who was a sitting MLA from Congress, is now contesting from BJP on the seat. Senior Congress leader Lakhpat Butola is contesting against Bhandari on the seat. Naval Khali is contesting as an independent candidate and Himmat Singh is contesting from Sainik Samaj Party.
There are 1,02,145 voters in Badrinath assembly seat, who will decide the fate of these four candidates.
As for the Manglaur assembly seat of Haridwar district, the seat was vacated due to the death of BSP MLA Sarwat Karim Ansari. BJP candidate Kartar Singh Bhadana, Congress candidate Qazi Nizamuddin and BSP candidate Ubedur Rahman alias Monty are in the fray on this seat where 1,19,930 voters will decide the fate of these candidates.
The BJP has not been able to win Manglaur assembly seat even once. The seat was won by the Congress in the 2017 assembly election and BSP in 2022.
Voting is being held on Wednesday for by-polls to 13 assembly seats across seven states.
