Amravati: The Amravati Division Teachers’ Constituency recorded 91.08% voter turnout by 4pm on Friday in the election to the Maharashtra Legislative Council, with the final polling percentage expected to rise further, officials said.The fate of 26 candidates, including sitting MLC and Mahayuti nominee Kiran Sarnaik and former MLC Shrikant Deshpande, was sealed in ballot boxes as over 35,000 voters across five districts of western Vidarbha cast their votes at 81 polling booths.Polling remained peaceful, with enthusiastic participation across the constituency. Divisional commissioner and returning officer Nayna Gunde visited several booths in Amravati to oversee the arrangements.Turnout stood at 14.72% in the first two hours before climbing to 36.24% by noon and 62.54% by 2pm. By the close of polling at 4pm, it had reached 91.08%.The constituency had recorded 81.10% turnout in the 2020 election, when 30,918 of the 38,129 registered voters exercised their franchise. Counting will take place on October 27.The main fight on the ground is between Congress candidate Aditi Pohare and Sarnaik, who represents the Shiv Sena faction led by deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde.Sarnaik also faces a challenge from within the ruling alliance, with BJP rebels Sangita Shinde, Shekhar Bhoyar and Sumit Pawar, along with Shiv Sena rebel Shrikant Deshpande, in the fray.In the 2020 election, Sarnaik won as an Independent with 15,606 votes, including 6,095 first-preference votes. He defeated the then sitting MLC Deshpande, who contested as a Shiv Sena candidate and secured 9,191 votes, including 5,135 first-preference votes. BJP candidate Dr Nitin Dhande finished sixth.
