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40-45 percent voter turnout in second phase of Bihar polls
by Ajay Kumar

     Patna: Polling for the second phase of elections in Bihar came to an end on Wednesday with a total voter turnout of about 40 to 45 percent in 62 of 243 constituencies seats, Chief Electoral Officer, Bihar, N K Sinha said. Like in the first phase, this phase also passed off without any major incident of violence. However, security forces shot dead a person by mistake assuming that he was a booth capturer. "A mentally unsound priest, Pappu Singh, was shot dead when he pointed a toy pistol at a BSF contingent posted at booth no. 45 in Raghopur constituency," official sources said. Meanwhile, Vaishali district magistrate-cum-district election officer Sanjeev Hans has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident. In another incident, a minor exchange of fire took place between central para-military forces and armed supporters of rival candidates at a polling station at Barsa in Sheikhpura constituency, in which Bablu Mahto, a member of the notorious Ashok Mahto gang, was injured. Earlier this morning, polling in all 62 constituencies had begun amid tight security at 13,999 polling stations where 492 contestants have tried their luck. To keep the polling non-violent, the Election Commission had pressed Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopters into service which kept patrolling the skies over the constituencies voted today. Six hundred companies of CPMF, Bihar Military Police, district armed police and Homeguards were also deployed in the voting constituencies spread over Bhagalpur, Khagaria, Munger, Lakhisarai, Sheikhpura, Begusarai, Katihar, Purnia, Vaishali, Muzaffarpur and Samastipur districts. In the second phase of polling, the future of many leaders is on stake, which includes Former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, Shakuni Chaudhary (Tarapur), Ramprakash Mahto (Katihar), Ashok Ram (Singhia), Bhola Singh (Begusarai), Ramdeo Verma, Pashupati Kumar Paras (Alauli), and Munna Shukla. The first phase of voting had taken place on October 18 in which voters from 52 constituencies had exercised their franchise, while the third and fourth phases will be held on November 13 and 19 respectively. Counting of votes in all the constituencies will be taken up on November 22, and date before which election process shall be completed will be November 23.