81% turnout in Karanpur bypoll

In Rajasthan, the polling for the Karanpur assembly seat took place on Friday, beginning at 7 am and concluding after 6 pm, with the results scheduled to be declared on January 8. Despite challenging weather conditions, voters turned up to cast their votes.
The election, initially scheduled earlier, was postponed due to the unfortunate demise of Congress candidate and then MLA Gurmeet Singh Kooner. In this election, former minister Surendrapal Singh Titi is the BJP candidate, while Congress has nominated Kooner’s son Rupinder Singh. The fate of Minister Surendra Pal Singh Titi will be determined following the announcement of the election results.
The Karanpur assembly constituency boasts a total of 2,40,826 voters, comprising 1,25,850 men, 1,14,966 women, and 10 transgender voters. Until 5 pm, 81.04% of voters had exercised their voting rights. A total of 249 polling stations were set up, with webcasting at 125 stations. Special arrangements, including wheelchairs, were made for elderly and disabled voters. Security measures included the deployment of four employees and one policeman at each polling station, with specific arrangements for women, youth, and disabled personnel.
The ruling BJP on December 30 included former minister Surendrapal Singh Titi, contesting from Karanpur, in the Council of Ministers as Minister of State (Independent Charge). This move faced criticism from the Congress, with former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot calling it a ‘clear violation of the code of conduct.’ The election results will determine the representation of the Karanpur assembly seat in the state legislative assembly.