Dehra Dun: About 45 per cent of the electorate on Wednesday voted in the key Tehri Lok Sabha bye-election where Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna's son and Congress nominee Saket is pitted against BJP's Mala Raj Laxmi Shah.
As per figures collected from 14 Assembly segments of the Parliamentary constituency spread over three districts, around 45 per cent of nearly 12 lakh voters exercised their franchise, Chief Election Officer Radha Raturi said.
She said the polling passed off peacefully.
Voters in five villages of three districts of Uttarkashi, Tehri and Chakrata boycotted the poll, she said.
Alleged laxity on part of the government in implementation of development programmes is understood to have been the reason behind the boycott.
Saket is locked in a straight contest with BJP nominee, who is a member of the erstwhile Tehri royal family, in the prestigious constituency which fell vacant after Vijay Bahuguna resigned from the seat following his victory from Sitarganj Assembly constituency.
The fate of 14 candidates including Congress and BJP nominees will be known on October 13 when the counting of votes will take place.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, October 10, 2012, 11:30