Chandigarh: An overall turnout of more than 60 per cent was registered till 6 pm in the by-polls to four assembly seats, Phagwara (reserve), Jalalabad, Dakha and Mukerian, in Punjab.

Polling began at 7 am on Monday and voters in the queue were allowed to exercise their franchise even after 6 pm. 

Around 7.76 lakh voters were eligible to decide the fate of 33 candidates. The results of the elections will be declared on October 24.

Polling was slow in the morning, but as the day progressed it started picking up pace. Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh urged voters to exercise their franchise judiciously. In the last elections, while the SAD-BJP combine had bagged two of the four assembly segments, one each was won by the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). This time, the main contest is between the Congress and the SAD-BJP combine.

The ruling Congress would like to maintain its winning momentum in the by-polls to four assembly seats while the Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance and AAP would also hope to revive their political fortunes.

While the SAD is contesting the Jalalabad and Dakha seats, its ally BJP has fielded candidates in Phagwara and Mukerian.