71.31 per cent voters cast vote in Algapur bypoll in Assam

Guwahati: An estimated 71.31 per cent voters on Sunday cast their votes in the by-election to Algapur Assembly constituency in Assam`s Barak Valley.

Polling was peaceful with no report of any untoward incident from any part of the constituency, official sources said. Polling ended at 4 pm and the poll percentage was expected to go up as many voters who had entered the polling stations before the end of the poll were yet to cast their vote. Polling in the constituency was held amidst tight security with 14 companies of paramilitary forces deployed. There are 12 candidates in the fray including candidates from the Congress, AGP, AIUDF and BJP besides eight Independents though the contest was expected to be direct between Congress candidate Mandira Roy and AIUDF`s Mehbubul Hasan. The predominantly minority constituency was spread across Hailakandi and Cachar districts in Barak Valley. The by-elections to Algapur was necessitated following the death of AGP MLA Sahidul Alam Choudhary on November 20 last. Choudhary, a former minister and five-time MLA, had held the seat since his debut in 1985 except for 2006 when it was wrested by Rahul Roy of Congress but the party gave a ticket to his mother this time. The total electorate in the constituency was 140,831 voters, comprising 75,498 men and 65,333 women. PTI