Jaipur, Oct 30 (IANS): Voting is taking place on Saturday for the Dhariyavad and Vallabhnagar Assembly seats in Rajasthan on Saturday amid strict Covid-19 protocols and security, said Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Gupta.

A total of nine candidates from Vallabhnagar (Udaipur) and seven from Dhariyavad (Pratapgarh) are in the fray.

As many as 5.11 lakh voters are eligible to cast their votes in both the constituencies.

While 2.53 lakh voters will be able to vote in Vallabhnagar, 2.57 lakh will exercise their franchise in Dhariyavad.

The Chief Electoral Officer informed that a total of 638 polling stations have been set up -- 310 in Vallabhnagar and 328 in Dhariyavad.

Videography will also be done at 29 sensitive centres. Micro observers will be present at 12 polling stations in Vallabhnagar and 14 in Dhariyavad.

The bypolls were necessitated after the the deaths BJP MLA Gautamlal Meena in Dhariyavad and Gajendra Singh Shaktawat of Congress in Vallabhnagar.

The BJP has fielded Khet Singh Meena in Dhariyavad, while Nagraj Meena is contesting for the Congress.

In Vallabhnagar, Congress is riding on an emotional card and fielded Preeti Shaktawat, the widow of Gajendra Singh Shaktawat, while the BJP has Himmat Singh Jhala.

Former BJP man Udayalal Dangi is contesting from Rashtriya Loktantrik Party and the Janata Sena has fielded Randhir Singh Bhinder.

These elections are a litmus test for both Congress and the BJP which will pave the way for the 2023 Assembly elections.