Kochi: In a record in the constituency, 86.3
per cent polling was registered in the crucial Piravom bypoll
in Ernakulam district on Saturday, with both Congress and Marxist
led fronts hoping the heavy turnout augurs well for their
respective groups.
As per final figures released by the Election Commission,
86.3 per cent of voters of 1.83 lakh electorate had exercised
their franchise by 5 PM when polling came to a close.
In 1987, Piravom constituency had registered a record
turnout of 85.45 per cent. Gopi Kottamurikkal of CPI(M) had
won the Assembly polls then.
The highest turnout this time was 89.5 per cent in Maneed
while the lowest was at Elanji-- 82.5 per cent.
UDF candidate Anoop Thomas and his LDF rival MJ Jacob
were among the early voters.
Police also registered case against two CPI(m) MLAs-
Suresh Kurup (Ettumanoor) and Koliyakode N Krishnan Nair
(Vamanapuram) under Sections 188 and 126 of the Peoples
Representation act. Both MLAs were found at different polling
stations.
The bypoll was necessitated following the death of
former minister, TM Jacob, father of Anoop Jacob.
With the death of TM Jacob, the UDF strength in the 140
member Assembly had gone down to 71, while in the LDF camp,the
recent resignation of Neyyatinkara MLA, Selvraj has reduced
its strength to 67.
TM Jacob had won by a slender margin of 157 votes in 2011
assembly bypolls.
Counting will be held on Mar 21.
PTI
