Polling is underway for by-elections to the Nandigram and Rejinagar assembly seats in West Bengal on Tuesday, with 19.47 per cent turnout recorded in the first two hours till 9 am.

Nandigram recorded 20.89 per cent polling and Rejinagar 18.05 per cent. Barring stray incidents, voting was peaceful. Seventy-one companies of central forces are deployed, with 100 per cent web-casting in all booths.

The office of the Chief Electoral Officer sought a report on the detention of Aam Janata Unnayan Party founder Humayun Kabir, accused of threatening police at Rejinagar booths. His son Golam Nabi Azad is the AJUP candidate for Rejinagar.

Nandigram, vacated by Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari who retained Bhabanipur, sees a four-cornered contest. Congress candidate Milan Pradhan faces BJP’s Hasirani Rath. Counting is on October 9.

The CPI(M) alleged its polling agents were blocked at some booths in Rejinagar. Congress candidate Milan Pradhan alleged BJP supporters drove out his agents in Nandigram. The BJP denied the charge.