Voting underway for Rajasthan, West Bengal bypolls

Voting for Alwar and Ajmer Lok Sabha seats and Mandalgarh Assembly seat in Rajasthan and Uluberia Lok Sabha seat bypoll in West Bengal has started.

In Rajasthan, over 38 lakh voters would cast their votes where 41 candidates are in the fray.

For the first time, EVM machines with photos of candidates on them would be used.

"For the first time, photos of candidates are being placed on EVM machines to avoid confusion among voters about different candidates with same names," Chief Election Officer Ashwini Bhagat said. 38,02,168 voters are registered in all the three constituencies.

Eleven candidates in Alwar, 23 in Ajmer and eight candidates in Mandalgarh are in the fray.

Ajmer and Alwar Lok Sabha seats, and the Mandalgarh Assembly seat fell vacant due to the deaths of Ajmer MP Sanwar Lal Jat, Alwar MP Chand Nath and Mandalgarh MLA Kirti Kumari (all of the BJP) last year.

The Election Commission informed that 35 companies of central police forces will be deployed to ensure free and fair elections in both the seats.

Counting is slated to take place on February 1.