Kedarnath Bypoll Drama: A Voter Showdown in Uttarakhand

The Kedarnath Assembly bypoll in Uttarakhand recorded a 57.64% voter turnout. The election went peacefully, monitored across 173 booths, with women outnumbering male voters. The seat vacancy followed BJP MLA Shaila Rani Rawat's passing. It's a high-stakes contest primarily between BJP's Asha Nautiyal and Congress' Manoj Rawat.

The Kedarnath Assembly bypoll in Uttarakhand registered a voter turnout of 57.64% until 6 pm on Wednesday, according to Chief Electoral Officer BVRC Purushottam. The election process remained peaceful, with no incidents reported, and officials monitored all 173 polling booths, 130 of which were equipped with CCTV cameras.

Despite a slow start, voter participation increased as the day went on, ultimately falling just short of the previous 66.43% turnout in 2022. The vacancy arose following the death of BJP MLA Shaila Rani Rawat. Women voters outnumbered their male counterparts, with 45,956 women compared to 44,919 men, in the 90,875-strong voter base.

The by-election sees a significant battle between BJP's Asha Nautiyal and Congress' Manoj Rawat, both previous representatives of the constituency. Supporting contenders include Ashutosh Bhandari from the Uttarakhand Kranti Dal and Pradeep Roshan Rudia from the People's Party of India, along with independent candidates.

(With inputs from agencies.)