As the decision to extend the polling hours till 6 p.m. in the just concluded Karnataka Assembly elections has brought good results with increased turnout, the Election Commission has decided to implement the same in the coming by-elections.
An official of the Commission said following requests from political parties and candidates, the polling hour was extended by one hour in Karnataka. The turnout of voters, who were afraid to come out owing to heat conditions, rose towards the evening, particularly after 4 p.m. “As many as 70.23 per cent of the 4.35 crore electorate exercised their franchise in the May 5 polls. Now we have decided to implement the same in by-polls to four Lok Sabha seats and six Assembly seats in five States scheduled on June 2,” he said.
Elections will be held in Maharajganj (Bihar), Porbandar and Banaskantha (both in Gujarat), and Howrah (West Bengal) Lok Sabha constituencies.
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Assembly segments that go to the polls are: Yavatmal (Maharashtra), Handia (Uttar Pradesh), and Morva Hadaf (ST), Limbdi, Dhoraji and Jetpur (all in Gujarat).