Voting, which was sluggish in the morning, was recorded at 59.46 per cent in Ratlam-Jhabua parliamentary constituency by-election on Saturday. In Dewas Assembly constituency bypoll, the polling percentage was 62.03.
In Ratlam-Jhabua lok Sabha constituency, 62.18 per cent males and 56.06 females cast their votes. In Dewas, the voting percentage of males and females was 64.06 and 60, respectively.
A poll boycott by villagers demanding redress of local grievances regarding supply of potable water and laying of better roads was reported from Dosigaon in Ratlam (City). Senior officials reached the scene and initiated efforts to pacify the villagers. Eight votes were cast, all by Government employees, in Dosigaon until reports last came in.
The key contest in Ratlam-Jhabua is between the principal opposition Congress Kantilal Bhuria, a former Union minister, and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's Nirmala Bhuria.
The Janata Dal (United) fielded Vijay Haari in the eight-cornered contest. The by-election was necessitated by the demise of the BJP's Dileep Singh Bhuria.
The number of voters is 17,42,676 including 8,63,111 women while of the 2,200 polling centres 397 were critical ones. As many as 1,792 were located in the rural areas.
In Dewas, the principal contenders are the saffron party's Gayatri Raje Puar and the Congress Jaiprakash Shastri who are in a four-cornered contest. The by-election was necessitated by the death of ex-minister Tukojirao Puar (BJP). The electorate totals 2,42,864 including 1,16,626 women while the number
of polling centres was 303 including 121 critical ones.
A total 252 were in the urban areas.