Andheri East by-poll: Voting ends, 28.77 percent voting recorded till 5pm

The by-poll for Andheri East constituency that began today morning at 7 am has ended.

Collector Nidhi Choudhary had earlier told FPJ that the voting will continue until 6 pm.

28.77 per cent voting recorded till 5pm.

Rutuja Latke, a contestant in the by-polls, also cast her vote today, and she further appealed that the public vote her and lead her to a win in the by-polls.

The Election Commission has roped in a huge police force, along with a reserve police squad and the home guards in the area.

Several youngsters were seen queuing up to vote in the election which is seen as a mere formality as Uddhav Thackeray’s candidate Rutuja Ramesh Latke is competing against six other candidates – four of them independent, who have little significance.

After the death of two-time Shivsena MLA Ramesh Latke, the election commission announced a by-election on his seat. For the seat, Mahavikas Aghadi Alliance has backed his Rutuja Latke wife from Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray Shiv Sena on the symbol of the torch. BJP's Murji Patel withdrew his nomination earlier in October.

Competing with Latke in this by-poll are other candidates and they are— Bala Vyankatesh Vinayak Nadar of the Aapki Apni Party, Manoj Nayak of the Right to Recall Party and independent candidates Nina Khedekar, Farhana Siraj Sayed, Milind Kamble, and Rajesh Tripathi. The counting of votes will take place on November 6.

2,71,000 eligible voters in the constituency

The ECI has said that across the constituency, there are 2,71,000 eligible voters who will be casting their votes in the 256 polling booths set up. Over 1,600 government employees are working to conduct the election procedure.

256 booths, 38 locations

There are 256 booths at 38 locations in the Andheri East constituency. At each booth, 1000 to 1250 voters can cast their votes. Wheelchairs will be provided in the booths. All the voters on the list have photographs.

Latke is expected to comfortably win Andheri East Assembly constituency in Mumbai after the BJP withdrew from the contest which is the first after the recent split in the Shiv Sena following a rebellion by Eknath Shinde, who replaced Thackeray as the Maharashtra chief minister.

The NCP and Congress have supported her candidature.