RAIPUR: The by-poll in Bhanupratappur was peaceful with voter turnout recording at 72%, which is lower than the previous two Assembly polls in 2013 (79.23 %) and 2018 (77.25%). The poll-battle was a bipolar contest between the Congress and the BJP.
Polling began at 7 am amid tight security and concluded at 3 pm. No untoward incident was reported in the constituency during the polling process which was by and large peaceful, the official said. Seven candidates contested the bypoll in the constituency, reserved for the Scheduled Tribes.
Meanwhile, in a high voltage drama, the Jharkhand police after the voting in Bhanupratapur Assembly by-poll took the 2019 POCSO accused BJP candidate Bhramanand Netam in their custody in Kanker district, south Chhattisgarh, but later released him after the protesting BJP cadres cited the high court order on restraining the arrest on Monday. During the bypoll campaign, Netam’s name had surfaced after the ruling Congress played up the FIR lodged against him.