Satara records 89.39% turnout in teachers' and 66.92% in graduates' constituency polls

Voting for the Pune division graduates' and teachers' constituency elections was held peacefully in Satara district on Friday. Polling ran from 8 am to 4 pm and recorded 89.39 per cent turnout in the teachers' constituency and 66.92 per cent in the graduates' constituency.

Deputy Collector Bhagwan Kamble said no untoward incident took place during polling. The administration had made the necessary arrangements at 137 polling stations in the district.

The district had 47,463 registered voters in the graduates' constituency and 9,454 in the teachers' constituency. Voting facilities were provided for them at 93 and 44 centres respectively. To ensure smooth polling, the election machinery had deployed police along with staff.

In the first two hours of the morning, 24 per cent of votes were cast in the graduates' constituency and 32 per cent in the teachers' constituency. Voters continued to arrive through the day. By 2 pm, turnout in the teachers' constituency had reached 59 per cent. The final figures for both constituencies came out after polling ended.

Public Works Minister Shivendrasinhraje Bhosale, MP Udayanraje Bhosale and mayor Amol Mohite visited some polling stations in Satara city and surrounding areas. They took stock of the polling and reviewed arrangements at the centres.

Candidates of different political parties were in the fray in both constituencies, so political circles were watching the election closely. In the teachers' constituency, the candidacy of independent Prof. Sachin Sanap and the support he received from the Shinde faction were much discussed. In the graduates' constituency, a direct contest between the Mahayuti and the Maha Vikas Aghadi also kept the election in the news.

With polling over peacefully, the administration has breathed a sigh of relief, and everyone now awaits the result. Counting for both constituencies will be held on October 27 at Balewadi in Pune.