india

Updated: Oct 21, 2019 10:33 IST

Rains hit polling in many areas of Kerala and Maharashtra, where assembly elections and by-polls are being held on Monday, officials said.

Heavy rains disrupted polling in many areas in Kerala, where by-polls are being held on five assembly constituencies.

In Kerala the by-elections are being held in Vattiyoorkavu assembly constituency in Thiruvananthapuram, Konni in Pathanamthitta, Aroor in Alapuzha, Ernakulam and Manjeshwar in Kasaragod.

Four of these seats fell vacant after legislators were elected to Parliament—K Muralidharan from Kozhikode, Adoor Prakash from Attingal, Hibi Eden from Ernakulam—all Congress and the CPI(M)’s lone MP from Alapuzha AM Arif.

The death of Manjeshwar’s sitting MLA Abdul Razak, a Muslim League leader, also made the by-poll necessary.

Polling booths were being shifted at many places as rains continued to lash these areas since last night, according to officials.

Ernakulam, where polling was recorded at less than 5%, was the worst affected as many polling booths were submerged in the rains.

“We are watching the situation,” said state chief electoral officer Tikaram Meena.

In Maharashtra, rains were also reported in many areas including Mumbai as polling in the 288 assembly constituencies started on a peaceful note.

There are 3,237 candidates from several parties besides Independents who are in the fray.

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-Shiv Sena combine is hoping to return to power for a second consecutive term against the opposition Congress-NCP alliance.

Voting also started for the lone Lok Sabha by-election in Satara where the BJP has put up sitting member of Parliament Udayanraje Bhosale, who is challenged by the NCP’s Shrinivas Patil.

The results will be announced on October 24.