Raipur/Kadapa, May 08: Amid landmine blasts set off by naxals, nearly 40 per cent polling was recorded for Bastar Lok Sabha bypoll in Chhattisgarh while an estimated 70 per cent exercised their franchise for the bye-election to Kadapa Parliamentary constituency in Andhra Pradesh.
A Special Police Officer was killed in Dantewada where naxals triggered two landmine blasts in which no one was hurt as low turnout marked the bypoll to Bastar seat.
Security forces and Maoists traded fire in Kuche village in the constituency where voting could not take place at four booths after naxals fired at poll officials.
K K Behar, Deputy Chief Electoral officer, said 40 per voters exercised their franchise for the bypoll which arose following the death of BJP MP Baliram Kashyap.
The saffron party has fielded his son Dinesh Kashyap.
He is pitted against Congress nominee Lakhma Kavasi, an MLA.
–Agencies