ITANAGAR, 16 Jul: The ruling BJP in Arunachal Pradesh swept the panchayat bypolls by winning 108 gram panchayat (GP) seats, State Election Commission (SEC) officials said here on Saturday.
The National People’s Party (NPP) secured five GP seats, opposition Congress and Janata Dal (United) won three each and independents bagged 11 seats, counting of votes for which was held on Saturday, State Election Commissioner Hage Kojeen said.
In the lone zilla parishad member (ZPM) seat in Kurung Kumey district, independent candidate Bengia Tayang won by defeating his rival NPP candidate Chello Tagar by a margin of 98 votes.
The SEC had on 14 June issued a notification for holding panchayat bypolls to 130 GP seats and one ZPM seat. However, in 116 GP seats, candidates were declared elected unopposed as there was only one candidate. The BJP won 101 GP seats, the NPP and the Congress two seats each, one by JD (U) and independent candidates 10.
By-elections were held for one ZPM seat and 14 GP seats on 12 July.
An estimated 84.55 percent voters, out of a total of 4,057 eligible voters, exercised their franchise for electing 14 GP members and one ZPM, Kojeen informed.
Arunachal has a total of 8,216 GP seats and 242 ZPM seats.
Among the ZPM seats, the ruling BJP has 188, the JD (U) has 10, the Congress 9, the NPP 7, the PPA 3 and independents 24.
Of the total GPM seats in the state, the BJP has 6,378 seats, the Congress has 378, the NPP 243, the JD (U) 159, the PPA 27 and independents 1,046.
Elections to 40 GPM seats and one ZPM seat in Vijaynagar subdivision of Changlang district have been kept pending due to law and order and other administrative issues, Kojeen added. (PTI)
