Over 60 per cent of voters turned out on Saturday in the by-elections to one Lok Sabha and 31 Assembly seats spread over seven states which were by and large peaceful.

The polls were held under the watchful eyes of security forces and paramilitary personnel who kept a strict vigil in all the constituencies.

In Firozabad Lok Sabha seat, where Congress candidate Raj Babbar is pitted against Mulayam Singh Yadav's daughter-in- law Dimple, 53 per cent polling was registered, whereas in 11 Assembly seats in the state, the turnout was 41.67 per cent.

The Lok Sabha by-election was necessitated after Akhilesh Yadav, son of the SP chief, vacated the seat and retained Kannauj.

Two minor incidents of violence were reported from Uttar Pradesh where two persons, including a woman, were injured in a clash during polling at a booth in Jasrana area of Firozabad parliamentary constituency, official sources said in Lucknow.

In Jaunpur, the cavalcade of BSP's Rari assembly seat candidate Rajdev Singh, father of BSP MP Dhananjay Singh, was allegedly attacked by unidentified persons during polling hours at Tikrara police station area, police said.

In West Bengal, a turnout of 65 per cent was recorded in the by-elections to 10 assembly seats, state chief election officer Debasish Sen said in Kolkata.

The by-elections in the state are being viewed as a dress rehearsal for the 2010 Assembly polls.

Today's by-polls are considered politically crucial as the outcome will reflect whether the ruling Left Front, that suffered a series of setbacks in some recent polls, is able to reverse the trend.

... contd.