Polling began at 7 am on Thursday for the by-election to the Bhabanipur seat, where West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is contesting, and two other constituencies amid tight security and stringent COVID-19 measures, officials said.
48.08 per cent voting was recorded in Bhabanipur constituency till 3 pm on Thursday.
72.45 per cent and 68.17 per cent voter turnout was recorded in Samserganj and Jangipur polls respectively.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and TMC candidate for Bhabanipur bypoll cast her vote at Mitra Institution - a polling booth in the assembly constituency.
A total 6,97,164 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in the three constituencies.
Votes will be counted on October 3.
Banerjee, who lost from the Nandigram constituency in the assembly elections earlier this year, has to win this by-poll to retain the chief minister's post.
As part of its elaborate security arrangements, the Election Commission has deployed 72 companies of central forces in the three constituencies, of which 35 are stationed in Bhabanipur alone, the officials said.
Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC have been imposed within 200 metres of the polling centres.
