IUML candidate P.K. Kunhalikutty and IUML chief Panakkad Sayyid Hyderali Shihab Thangal after casting their votes in Malappuram LS by-poll. Photo: Sameer A HameedMalappuram: About 71 percent voting was recorded in the by-poll for Malappuram Lok Sabha seat on Wednesday with the exercise passing off peacefully.
According to the polling officials, about 71 percent polling was recorded in the constituency with around 13 lakh electorate. Counting will be held on April 17.
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CPM candidate M.B. Faizal of the ruling LDF at a polling booth in Malappuram. Photo: Sameer A HameedThe by-poll was necessitated following the demise of former Union minister and Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leader E. Ahamed.
Congress-led UDF candidate P. K. Kunhalikutty of the IUML, CPM's M.B. Faisal of ruling LDF and BJP's Sreeprakash were the main contestants in the fray.
IUML candidate P.K. Kunhalikutty and IUML chief Panakkad Sayyid Hyderali Shihab Thangal wait outside a polling booth in Malappuram. Photo: Sameer A HameedSix independents are also trying their luck in the Muslim-dominated constituency.
Brisk polling was reported from the constituency since morning.
Women stand in queue to cast their votes in the Malappuram LS by-poll on Wednesday. Sameer A HameedThere were some incidents of EVM malfunctioning which was immediately rectified by the officials.
More than 1,100 polling stations were set up in the constituency, which has seven assembly constituencies and a total electorate of 13,12,693.
Elderly people turn up to cast votes in the Malappuram LS by-poll on Wednesday. Sameer A HameedThe high-voltage campaign had seen heated debates on beef versus development.
The UDF had launched a do-or-die battle to retain its stronghold, while the ruling LDF is hoping for an upset win.
People stand in queue to cast votes in the Malappuram LS by-poll on Wednesday. Sameer A HameedSeeking to put the UDF camp on the back-foot, the LDF had claimed some senior Congress MPs from Kerala were likely to crossover to the BJP bandwagon.
In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Ahamed had won the seat by a margin of 1,94,739 votes against CPM's P.K. Sainaba.
