Bypoll live updates: The Election Commission has found Y S Jagan’s (L) Nandyal rally remarks “provocative”, while Goa CM Manohar Parrikar (R) has expressed confidence at winning the Panaji bypoll.
Voting is underway in four assembly seats in New Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and Goa on Wednesday. The bye-elections are being held simultaneously in Bawana in the national capital, Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh and Panaji and Valpoi in Goa. The Bawana seat in New Delhi fell vacant after Ved Prakash of the AAP switched parties and joined the BJP in March this year.
In Goa, the Panaji bypoll was necessitated after sitting MLA Siddharth Kuncolienkar vacated the seat for Parrikar, after the latter became CM and had to get elected to the Assembly within six months. In Valpoi, the election was necessitated after sitting MLA Rane joined the BJP after the party under Parrikar won the floor test in March. In Andhra Pradesh, the Nandyal seat fell vacant after the death of MLA Bhuma Nagi Reddy.
Bawana, Panaji, Valpoi, Nandyal bypoll LIVE updates:
1.40 pm: In New Delhi, as of 11 am this morning, 17 per cent voting was recorded. “The polling percentage at 11 am stands at 17.46,” Chief Electoral Officer CEO, Delhi, Chandra Bhushan Kumar confirmed. Till 1 pm, 24.39 per cent polling was recorded. Despite the EVM issues in some booths, voting is now progressing smoothly. Eight candidates are in the fray from the BJP, Congress and AAP.
1.26 pm: Here’s a quick recap if you’re just joining us: Voting for four seats in three states is currently underway. Bawana in New Delhi, Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh and Panaji and Valpoi in Goa are going to polls today. The results will be announced on Monday, August 28. Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is contesting from Panaji, while there’s a tough fight between BJP, Congress and AAP for the Bawana seat. In Andhra Pradesh, TDP and YSR Congress are facing off. YSR chief Jagan Mohan Reddy was pulled up by the Election Commission today for his “abusive” and “provocative” remarks against Andhra CM during his rally in Nandyal. Voting will end at 5 pm today.
12.30 pm: In Goa, by 10 am this morning, Panaji had recorded 17.67 per cent voting, while Valpoi has recorded 20.41 per cent. By 12 noon, 34.65 per cent was recorded in Panaji, while 40.02 per cent was recorded in Valpoi, reports ANI.
Interestingly, a higher voting percentage has been recorded in Goa during this bypoll as compared to the state elections in February. In Feb, the voting percentage in Panaji in the first four hours was recorded at 28.14 per cent while today it is at 34.65 per cent. In Valpoi, it was 27.65 per cent as compared to today’s 40.02 per cent.
12.25 pm: The Election Commission has asked the State EC to issue a warning to Jagan Mohan Reddy for his comments against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. The ECI noted: “Using such abusive and provocative language which has the effect of inciting violence during election speech, amounts to violation of the Model Code of Conduct. It is a fit case for reprimanding and issuing a severe warning to Reddy.”
Bypoll live updates: Voting for the Bawana seat in New Delhi on Wednesday. (Express Photo/Praveen Khanna)
During a rally in Nandyal, Reddy has stated: “There is nothing wrong if a person like Chandrababu Naidu is shot dead on the road for his failures and corruption.” Read more here.
12.12 pm: Here’s a quick recap of what’s happening in Valpoi constituency in Goa: BJP’s Vishwajeet Rane, a former Congress rebel, is facing Roy Naik, the son of state home minister Ravi Naik. Rane today claimed the verdict is “already out in (his) favour” as the people have decided to elect him. He has promised to create employment for the local youth if he is elected to the Assembly.
12.08 pm: Voting is underway for the Panaji and Valpoi Assembly seats in Goa. Congress’ Girish Chodankar has exuded confidence of winning the Panaji contest. “This verdict will go against Parrikar. There is a strong undercurrent which will work in our favour,” he said. On the other hand, Goa Suraksha Manch leader Subhash Velingkar, who was among the early voters said party’s nominee Anand Shirodkar will be the winner in the race. “The people have decided to vote for Shirodkar. Though with a less margin, Shirodkar will defeat Parrikar,” Velingkar claimed.
12.01 pm: 17.25 polling percentage has been recorded till 11 am in Bawana bypoll in New Delhi as reported by news agency ANI.
11.58 am: Nearly 30 per cent polling was reported in the first three hours of the bypoll to Nandyal Assembly seat according to PTI. The polling so far has remained smooth and without any altercation according to senior police officials. The EC was monitoring the poll process through webcams in each of the 255 polling stations.
11.40 am: Over 5 per cent polling percentage was recorded in the first hour of the Bawana by-poll. There were few EVM issues initially but they were taken care of. “EVM issues were faced at a couple of booths in the morning, but they were all fixed. Voting is going smoothly,” a senior polling official said.
11.25 am: Ahead of the bypolls in Goa, the BJP had filed a complaint with the Election Commission against a piece of “bogus news” on social media that said Parrikar may return to the Centre if he loses the Panaji bypoll. Parrikar was previously the Union Defence Minister. Parrikar, on the other hand, said the news depicts the Opposition’s frustration.
Bypoll live updates: People wait to cast their votes in New Delhi. (Express Photo/Praveen Khanna)
10.50 am: The Goa Shiv Sena on Monday had opined that Parrikar should have resigned as Chief Minister of the state before contesting the Panaji bypolls, to ensure a level-playing field. While Sena is part of the ruling coalition in Maharashtra and at the Centre, it is supporting Goa Suraksha Manch (GSM) nominee Anand Shirodkar today.
“When any chief minister contests an election, he should first resign from the post. When you fight as a chief minister, you do not provide a level-playing field to the other contestants,” Sena leader Sanjay Raut was quoted as saying by PTI. He added that the “real fight” is between the GSM and Congress.
10.37 am: In Andhra Pradesh, the polling percentage till 9 am was recorded at 17 per cent, reports ANI.
10.30 am: While addressing a rally in Bawana last Sunday, Delhi CM and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal had attacked Ved Prakash — a former AAP candidate who switched over to the BJP in March and is contesting the Bawana seat — for betraying the party. He said, ““Two years ago, you held a massive meeting here, you had given lot of votes but we made a mistake. We gave ticket to the wrong person. He did not come to me even once and has not come to me even once to tell me that what problems the people of Bawana are facing.” Read more here.
Bypoll live updates: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in Bawana on Sunday. (Express Photo/Prem Nath Pandey)
10.20 am: In Goa, adequate security arrangements have been made with around 1,000 personnel from the Goa police, India Reserve Battalion and Central Paramilitary Forces deployed in various key areas. In Goa, too, the results will be declared on Monday, August 28.
10.15 am: In New Delhi, voting began at 8 am and will conclude at 5 pm. Counting of votes will be held on August 28. Delhi metro services commenced earlier today and will continue beyond the scheduled hours. The yellow line, connecting south Delhi with the city’s northern-most flank, will extend till 1 am on Thursday. On the red line, the last train will depart from Rithala at 1 am.
10.10 am: In view of the two bypolls in the state, a government holiday was declared on Wednesday. In a notice, the government confirmed that offices situated within the two constituencies of Panaji and Valpoi will observe a paid public holiday.
— Manohar Parrikar (@manoharparrikar) August 22, 2017
10.05 am: This is the first time VVPAT machines are being used in the bypolls. In a move to bring in more transparency in the system, the Election Commission has introduced VVPAT to ensure citizens can physically verify their vote once cast.
How does VVPAT work? Once you enter the booth, you can cast your vote for the candidate of your choice on the ballot unit. A light on the unit against your choice will appear, and a paper with your choice will be printed. Electors who do not wish to vote for any of the contesting candidates can choose None of the Above (NOTA) option, also available on the EVM.
9.50 am: In Andhra, ahead of voting for the Nandyal seat in Kurnool distric, YSRC president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy said, “The Nandyal byelection is not about making a person an MLA. It is a vote against the three-year misrule of Chandrababu Naidu. This is a precursor to the 2019 elections. It’s a referendum on the corrupt and inept TDP rule.” Meanwhile, ahead of the bypolls, CM and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu had campaigned in the constituency twice. Read: TDP, YSRC in a high stake battle ahead of 2019 general elections
9.45 am: Due to glitches in two EVM machines in New Delhi, voting was paused, but has resumed now.
9.30 am: In New Delhi, nearly three lakh people are eligible to cast their vote in the Bawana by-poll. 379 polling stations have been set up across north-west Delhi to enable smooth voting. EVMs are equipped with voter verifiable paper audit trail (VVPAT) for the bypoll, the Chief Electoral Officer, Delhi, confirmed to PTI on Tuesday.
9.17 am: In Goa, Manohar Parrikar, who was sworn in as Chief Minister on March 14, has to be elected to the Assembly within six months. After casting his vote this morning, he didn’t offer any projections on the results but said “it will be substantial,” reported ANI. Read: Manohar Parrikar faces tough challenge from Girish Chodankar as BJP hopes to retain Panaji seat
9.11 am: The Andhra Pradesh bypoll is being fought between ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Opposition YSR Congress. If TDP loses, it will be seen as an “anti-establishment” vote while YSR’s performance will reflect the sentiment ahead of the 2019 general elections, reports PTI. TDP has fielded the late MLA Bhuma Nagi Reddy’s nephew Brahmananda Reddy while YSRC has put up former minister Silpa Chandra Mohan Reddy. Silpa lost the seat as TDP nominee in 2014. Read: Nandyal bypoll turns into prestige fight for TDP, YSR Congress
Bypoll live updates: People wait in queue to cast their vote in the Nandyal by-poll in Andhra Pradesh. (Source: ANI)
9.05 am: In New Delhi, the Bawana seat is being contested by the BJP, which is hoping to increase its strength in the state Assembly. The party has nominated Ved Prakash, a former AAP MLA who switched parties in March this year. Prakash had won from Bawana in the 2015 Assembly elections. The Aam Aadmi Party, which already holds a majority in the House, has fielded Ram Chander. The Congress, which doesn’t have a single MLA in the 70-member Delhi Assembly, has fielded Surender Kumar, a three-time MLA from the constituency.
9.02 am: The bypoll in Panaji is being contested by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar against Congress’ Girish Chodankar. In Valpoi, Congress rebel and state health minister Vishwajeet Rane is up against Roy Naik, the son of former home minister Ravi Naik, for Congress.
9.00 am: Welcome to our live blog on the bypolls to four seats in three state Assemblies – New Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and Goa. Voting is underway in all three states.
