Lok Sabha bypolls: Gorakhpur records 43 percent turnout, Phulpur 37 percent

Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Keshav Prasad Maurya and (Below) CM Yogi Adityanath show their fingers marked with ink. Pics/PTI

Forty-three per cent voters cast their mandate in the Gorakhpur parliamentary constituency on Sunday while Phulpur recorded an even lesser 37.39 per cent turnout as the crucial bypolls to the two Lok Sabha seats were held peacefully, the state election office said.

Polling began at 7 am and passed off peacefully till 5 pm, the state election office said. "Gorakhpur recorded a turnout of 43 per cent and Phulpur 37.39 per cent," it added. There were complaints of EVM malfunctioning at a few booths, but the machines were promptly replaced without affecting the polling, an election official said. The reason behind the lower-than-expected turnout in the high-stakes polls in the country's electorally most significant state was said to be a lack of enthusiasm among voters, who are now looking forward to general elections.