Third phase of Bihar Assembly election has 53 per cent voter turnout
Patna: The third phase of Bihar State Assembly elections witnessed about 53 per cent of the 1.03 cr eligible voters exercising their franchise here on Thursday. Elections were held in 48 constituencies of Bihar today. Five Maoist-hit
constituencies - Amnour, Taraya, Ramnagar, Balmikinagar and Patepur recorded 45
per cent to 52 per cent polling. Voters were ferried by boats in the riverine
areas of Raghopur Assembly constituency in Vaishali district where former chief
minister Rabri Devi is in the fray. Rabri Devi, former Bihar Chief Minister and
wife of Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, contested from Sonepur seat
in Saran district. Meanwhile, minor incidents of clash and scuffle were witnessed
at some polling stations for which over 185 persons were detained, "Otherwise,
it was peaceful and smooth," said Director General of Police Neelmani. Borders
with Nepal and Uttar Pradesh were sealed and DIG and Commissioner of Saran
division
along with special task force commandos kept surveillance from the air, Neelmani
said. BJP and RJD workers clashed at two booths in Raxaul Assembly constituency
in East Champaran district, but none was injured, official sources said. A scuffle
broke out between supporters of rival candidates at a booth at Madhavpur in Lalganj
Assembly constituency in Vaishali district, they said. Meanwhile, defects in Electronic
Voting Machines (EVMs) were reported from a few polling centres in Balmikingar,
Bagha, Bettiah, Siwan, Vaishali and Gopalganj constituencies, but they were
rectified.
Voters boycotted polling at four booths - two in Bettiah constituency and one
each in Bhore and Raxaul. Polling in the Naxal-hit constituencies of Ramnagar,
Balmikingar and Patepur concluded at 3:00 pm, while voting in the other two
Maoist-infested
constituencies Amnour and Taraiya was over at 4:00 pm. The fortune of six State
ministers will be decided in today's phase.
