Crucial by-polls held in Uttarakhand

Lucknow/Dehradun, July 21 (IANS) Three assembly constituencies in Uttarakhand voted Monday in by-elections, considered crucial for Chief Minister Harish Rawat who will need to get elected to remain in the post.

The by-polls held in the three constituencies of Doiwala, Someshwar and Dharchula recorded 52 percent polling, election commission officials said.

Inclement weather and heavy rain at some places made it difficult for voters to come to the polling booths and cast their ballot, they said.

Harish Rawat is seeking election from Dharchula, after the seat was vacated by legislator Harish Dhami to facilitate the chief minister's entry into the assembly.

The other two constituencies fell vacant after incumbents Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank and Ajay Tamta, both from the Bharatiya Janata Party, were elected to the Lok Sabha from Haridwar and Almora, respectively.

The BJP had made a clean sweep in the Lok Sabha elections in May by winning all the five parliamentary seats of Almora, Garhwal, Hardwar, Nainital-Udhamsingh Nagar and Tehri Garhwal.