PUDUCHERRY: A modest 69.44 per cent voters exercised their franchise in the Kamaraj Nagar bypoll on Monday, which is one of the lowest voter turnout in the recent years in any constituency in Puducherry. Congress candidate A John Kumar and All India NR Congress candidate Bouvanesvarane are the main candidates in the fray.
Out of 35,009 voters in the constituency, only 24,310 cast their vote. The turnout is 5.87 per cent lower the votes polled in the 2016 Assembly elections in the constituency and 8.81 per cent lower than the votes polled in 2011 Assembly elections, which was the first election held in the constituency after it was carved out post delimitation in 2006.
The polling, which began on a dull note with rain playing spoilsport, gained momentum as time progressed and long queues were seen in front of some booths. Several people, including the aged and physically challenged, came to the booths and voted.