Jaipur, 13 Nov

An Independent candidate for the Deoli-Uniara Assembly bypoll allegedly slapped a Sub-Divisional Officer engaged in election duty on Wednesday as area magistrate, officials said.

Voting for the bypolls to seven Assembly seats in Rajasthan is underway with close to 25 per cent of votes cast till 11am. The counting of votes will be held on 23 November.

Naresh Meena, a Congress rebel contesting as an Independent, allegedly caught the Sub-Divisional Officer of Malpura, Amit Chaudhary, by his collar and slapped him, an official said. District election officer and Tonk Collector Saumya Jha said the residents of Samravta village had announced the bypoll boycott. "The village currently comes under the Nagar Fort Tehsil. The villagers are demanding that the village be brought under the Uniara Tehsil which is nearer," she said.

Independent candidate Naresh Meena supported the villagers who had declared to boycott the polls.

When Chaudhary, the area magistrate for the bypoll, went to the village to convince people to cast their votes, the Independent candidate slapped him, Jha said.

About the villagers' demand, she said that it was raised a few days ago and they were told that the matter would be taken up after the model code of conduct is lifted.