Mandi, June 23
Nearly 51 per cent turnout was witnessed in the Mandi Lok Sabha bypoll till the reports last came in on Sunday. Devesh Kumar, returning officer for Mandi, said the polling was peaceful with 50.69% voters exercising their right to franchise. “Final reports from 250 polling stations are awaited,” he said. The polling percentage is estimated to be around 52 per cent in 16 constituencies, while polling in 118 polling stations in rain-ravaged Kinnaur will be held on June 27. The counting will be held simultaneously on June 30.

“The turnout ultimately could be around 52 per cent,” said another electoral officer. "The turnout was just seven per cent in the first one hour, but by 11 am, it rose to nearly 17 per cent. It was 25 per cent by 1 pm and 50 per cent by 4 pm," he said. The voting began at 8 am and there was no report of any malfunction in the electronic voting machines, he said.

The main contest is between the ruling Congress and the Opposition BJP.